Red Sox Adjust Lineup for Weekend Clash with Yankees

NEW YORK — The Boston Red Sox are set for their first encounter at Yankee Stadium this season following a challenging homestand that resulted in two losses out of three games and the decision to send starting pitcher Brayan Bello to Worcester after a poor performance. The Sox, who have fared better on the road compared to their struggles at Fenway Park, aim to continue their upward trend away from home. A significant advantage for Boston this weekend is the absence of Aaron Judge, who was placed on the injured list Thursday due to a stress fracture in his right rib. In his place, outfielder Spencer Jones, one of the Yankees' promising prospects, is expected to take on a more substantial role in right field.

As the Red Sox prepare to face the Yankees, they are looking to enhance their offensive output from their last matchup in April, where they were swept in a three-game series, scoring just three runs throughout. Following that disappointing series, the team made a significant change by parting ways with manager Alex Cora and several coaches.

Caleb Durbin, who has shown recent improvement, will bat fifth in the lineup — his highest position in the order for quite some time. Previously hitting second early in the season, he fell to the lower third due to struggles. However, Durbin has turned things around recently, boasting a .357 batting average with 10 hits, including six extra-base hits, over his last seven games.

The Red Sox will face left-handed pitcher Ryan Weathers for the Yankees, prompting the decision to start Isiah Kiner-Falefa at shortstop instead of Marcelo Mayer. Another storyline to watch is the fan response to Sonny Gray, who joined the Red Sox during the offseason and has openly expressed his disdain for playing in New York.

BOSTON RED SOX (26-35) vs. NEW YORK YANKEES (37-25) · YANKEE STADIUM · NEW YORK, NY · GAME 62 FIRST PITCH: 7:05 p.m. ET TV CHANNEL: NESN RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM PITCHING PROBABLES: RHP Sonny Gray (6-1, 3.06 ERA) vs. LHP Ryan Weathers (2-3, 3.52 ERA) RED SOX LINEUP: Jarren Duran LCF, Ceddanne Rafaela CF, Wilyer Abreu RF, Willson Contreras 1B, Caleb Durbin 3B, Isiah Kiner-Falefa SS, Andruw Monasterio 2B, Mickey Gasper DH, Connor Wong C. YANKEES LINEUP: Trent Grisham CF, Ben Rice DH, Paul Goldschmidt 1B, Cody Bellinger LF, Jazz Chisholm Jr. 2B, Spencer Jones RF, Anthony Volpe SS, Ryan McMahon 3B, Austin Wells C.