The Red Sox can not only win the series with a win, but they can also win their eighth straight game against the Mariners on Saturday.
Boston is coming off a narrow 4-3 win over Seattle on Friday and will turn to Michael Wacha to help it improve to 7-1-2 in their last 10 series after starting the season 1-7-1. The right hander’s last outing was one to remember — pitching a complete game shutout against the Los Angeles Angels while getting the better of superstar Shohei Ohtani. Wacha will hope for a similar performance Saturday at T-Mobile Park.
Manager Alex Cora relied on Triple-A Worcester call-up Rob Refsnyder on Friday, but the Red Sox will put out a slightly different lineup Saturday.
Trevor Story moves up to the lead off position — moving Alex Verdugo and Christian Vázquez up in the order. Speaking of Verdugo, the 26-year-old will get the start at left field, and Franchy Cordero will move to right field.
Bobby Dalbec and Jackie Bradley Jr. will flip their spots in the bottom of the batting order from Friday as the Red Sox will hope to do damage against Mariners starter George Kirby — a top prospect coming out of the 2019 MLB Draft.
Saturday’s pregame coverage on NESN begins at 9 p.m. ET, with “Red Sox First Pitch” followed by “Red Sox Gameday Live.” The game is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET.
Here are the full lineups for Friday’s Red Sox vs. Mariners game on NESN.
BOSTON RED SOX (31-28)
Trevor Story, 2B
Rafael Devers, 3B
J.D. Martinez, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Alex Verdugo, LF
Christian Vázquez, C
Franchy Cordero, RF
Bobby Dalbec, 1B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Michael Wacha, RHP (4-1, 1.99 ERA)
SEATTLE MARINERS (26-32)
Jesse Winker, LF
Ty France, 1B
Julio Rodriguez, CF
J.P. Crawford, SS
Eugenio Suarez, 3B
Adam Frasier, 2B
Abraham Toro, DH
Taylor Trammell, RF
Cal Raleigh, C
George Kirby, RHP (1-1, 3.38 ERA)
