dailyloe.com – On Friday night, the Boston Red Sox will host the Houston Astros in the opener of a three-game series. The matchup comes after a day off for the Red Sox, who are looking to rebound after struggling recently. Both teams enter the series with disappointing records, the Red Sox at 12-19 and the Astros at 12-20.
The Red Sox lost their last two games against Toronto, placing them last in the AL East. Earlier this week, they placed ace Garrett Crochet on the 15-day injured list. The Red Sox have yet to announce a starter for the game, but Jake Bennett is expected to make his MLB debut.
1:53 p.m.: The Red Sox confirmed Bennett as Friday’s starter. Bennett was acquired from Washington last December for pitching prospect Luis Perales. He was selected by the Nationals in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft and missed the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery.
Chad Tracy, who will be making his Fenway debut as interim manager for the Red Sox, described Bennett as a “big-time strike thrower.” Tracy noted that Bennett’s fastball velocity has increased to around 94 miles per hour. He emphasized Bennett’s ability to get in on hitters, which can be advantageous.
The Astros will start righthander Mike Burrows, who holds a record of 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two appearances against the Red Sox. The Astros’ lineup includes Correa, Alvarez, and Altuve, while the Red Sox lineup features players like Duran, Contreras, and Story.
The game is scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN+ and WEEI-FM 93.7. Notably, Yordan Alvarez has been strong against the Red Sox, hitting .391 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs in 26 games.
The Red Sox have a challenging matchup ahead as they aim to improve their standing in the league against a struggling Astros team.
