The Red Sox welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers to Fenway Park for the first time in four years, and Friday also marks the first time Mookie Betts returns to Boston in four years.
The 30-year-old wants the occasion to purely be about baseball, and Boston will have its focus on gaining ground in the American League wild card, especially after routing the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on Thursday.
Kutter Crawford gets the start on the mound for the Red Sox opposite Lance Lynn. Crawford is coming off a solid six-inning outing against the New York Yankees last Saturday, where he gave up one run off as many hits and struck out five batters.
Manager Alex Cora didn't make too many changes to the lineup from Thursday. Triston Casas and Trevor Story are back after getting a day off and will bat sixth and seventh in the order. Justin Turner is back at designated hitter, and Masataka Yoshida returns to left field. Adam Duvall shifts over to center field with prospect Wilyer Abreu on the bench a game after hitting his first big-league home run.
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Pablo Reyes moves to second base and will bat at the bottom of the order behind Reese McGuire, who rotates in for Connor Wong at catcher.
First pitch for Red Sox-Dodgers is scheduled at 7:10 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on Apple TV+.
Come back to NESN for the rest of the series, however, as NESN will broadcast the final two games.
Here are the lineups for both sides.
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BOSTON RED SOX (68-60)
Alex Verdugo, RF
Rafael Devers, 3B
Justin Turner, DH
Masataka Yoshida, LF
Adam Duvall, CF
Triston Casas, 1B
Trevor Story, SS
Reese McGuire, C
Pablo Reyes, 2B
Kutter Crawford, RHP (6-6, 3.66 ERA)
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (78-48)
Mookie Betts, 2B
Freddie Freeman, 1B
Will Smith, C
Max Muncy, 3B
David Peralta, LF
Kiké Hernández, CF
Jason Heyward, RF
Michael Busch, DH
Miguel Rojas, SS
Lance Lynn, RHP (9-9, 5.60 ERA)
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Featured image via Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports Images