The Boston Red Sox are absolutely dialed in right now, pushing hard for their sixth straight win and a series sweep tonight, but they are doing it with a seriously reshuffled lineup that has some big names missing. Interim manager Chad Tracy is giving two of his biggest bats, Willson Contreras and Adley Rutschman, the night off against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. The biggest concern? Rutschman, who also missed Tuesday’s victory, is dealing with soreness in his right elbow. This team is on a tear, but you gotta wonder how long they can keep this pace with key players sidelined.
Shuffled Deck and Unexpected Heroes
With Contreras out, Nick Sogard is stepping up to handle first base and bat leadoff, a huge spot to fill. Connor Wong takes over behind the plate and will bat ninth. It is a big test for these guys, but they have been finding ways to win. Caleb Durbin is back in the mix at third base, hitting cleanup after getting a scheduled night off Tuesday. You have to respect Tracy shaking things up to keep everyone fresh, even when they are red hot. But losing Rutschman, even for a day or two, is always a concern. The team’s gotta find a way to maintain this momentum without relying on their usual big guns every single night.
Grand Slams and Standings Battles
Speaking of big performances, Mickey Gasper had the best major league game of his career Tuesday night, crushing two home runs in Boston’s 7-3 extra-inning victory. That is clutch! Then Jarren Duran went full hero mode, smashing a grand slam in the 11th inning to break the game open and seal their fifth straight win. Gasper earned another start tonight as designated hitter, batting fifth, with Duran in left field and batting seventh. On the mound, the Red Sox are sending out veteran right-hander Sonny Gray, who boasts an incredible 16-3 record and a sharp 2.79 ERA, facing off against Miami’s Ryan Gusto, who is 0-3 with a 4.37 ERA. This feels like a game Boston should own.
The Red Sox started this incredible run by sweeping three games from the San Francisco Giants at Fenway Park, then powered through Miami with a 4-2 win Monday and that wild extra-inning battle Tuesday. A win tonight would push their record to 74-59, secure a six-game winning streak, and grab consecutive series sweeps. That momentum would be absolutely massive as they head into an important series against the New York Yankees on Friday. Right now, Boston sits five games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East and a tight 1 1/2 games behind those same Yankees. Every single game counts. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET. Don’t miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply