Red Sox Host Mariners at Fenway After 16-1 Loss to Yankees

Series Opener at Fenway Park

The Boston Red Sox and the Seattle Mariners, both Major League Baseball clubs, open a three-game series at Fenway Park in Boston on Monday night, with first pitch scheduled for 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time. Yahoo Sports, citing NESN, reports the game will be shown on that network.

Boston arrives at 74-63 after losing three of four games to the New York Yankees, including defeats by 9-2 and 16-1. The Boston Globe notes the Red Sox have lost four of their last five games and scored only three runs across those four losses.

Seattle is 64-73 and has lost four straight, being outscored 25-4 in that stretch. In Sunday's 7-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Mariners managed one hit, a fourth-inning double by catcher Cal Raleigh.

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Returning Hitters and a New Injury

Outfielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Trevor Story were activated Sunday after long injury absences. Anthony, 22, played his first major league game since May 4 and went 2 for 4 with a ground-rule double, while Story went 2 for 3 with a double in his return from sports hernia surgery.

Both start again Monday, with Anthony leading off as designated hitter and Story batting eighth at shortstop under interim manager Chad Tracy.

The Red Sox placed first baseman Willson Contreras on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Yahoo Sports reports he was hitting .280 with 23 home runs, 70 RBIs and a .912 OPS. Mickey Gasper was recalled from Triple-A Worcester, starts at first base and bats second, with Wilyer Abreu at cleanup and Ceddanne Rafaela third.

Pitching Matchup

Boston starts left-hander Payton Tolle, who is 8-6 with a 3.09 ERA and has not lost in his last nine starts. In his most recent outing, a 7-3 win over the Miami Marlins that went 11 innings, he allowed two runs on four hits over five and a third innings and took a no-decision.

Seattle counters with right-hander George Kirby, who the Globe says is 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA in six career starts against Boston. His last start was a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in which he struck out nine and allowed one run in seven and two-thirds innings, though Covers.com notes he has allowed 12 earned runs across his previous three outings.

The sources differ on when Tolle last faced Seattle. The Globe places it on June 21, a 3-1 loss in which he allowed three runs on six hits. Over the Monster describes the same 3-1 result as part of a series in May.

Standings and Conditions

Over the Monster reports Boston holds the second American League wild-card place with a five-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians, while Seattle sits five games behind Cleveland and five back in the AL West.

Covers.com made the Red Sox 61% moneyline favorites and expected weather at Fenway to be partly cloudy, with temperatures falling from 75F to 70F, light winds and little rain risk. The starting pitcher for the series finale has not been announced by Seattle.