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The Red Sox will face Tarik Skubal without key players Masataka Yoshida and Jarren Duran. Alex Cora's lineup includes Andruw Monasterio and Trevor Story as they prepare for a challenging matchup.
BOSTON â The Red Sox offense will face its toughest challenge yet Saturday â and theyâll do so without a couple of key hitters.
Facing reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, Boston is sitting Friday hero Masataka Yoshida, as well as Jarren Duran, starting catcher Carlos NarvĂĄez and second baseman Marcelo Mayer on Saturday. Instead, Alex Cora is emptying the bench with Andruw Monasterio playing shortstop (and hitting second) and Connor Wong (catcher) and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (second base) both playing. Trevor Story is the designated hitter, batting fourth.
Roman Anthony is in left field and leading off before three right-handed hitters (Monasterio, Willson Contreras and Story). Itâs a similar lineup to what Cora rolled out last time the Red Sox faced a lefty (Milwaukeeâs Shane Drohan) on April 8. Monasterio hit second that day, too.
Masataka Yoshida and Jarren Duran are not in the lineup for Saturday's game against Tarik Skubal due to strategic decisions by manager Alex Cora.
The Red Sox lineup against Tarik Skubal includes Andruw Monasterio at shortstop, Connor Wong as catcher, and Trevor Story as designated hitter.
The Red Sox have struggled against left-handed pitchers, having faced only two this season, and will encounter more tough lefties like Framber Valdez and Max Fried soon.
Masataka Yoshida has a career .237 batting average and a .653 OPS against left-handed pitchers.

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The Red Sox have only faced two lefties all season (Drohan and Cincinnatiâs Andrew Abbott, on Opening Day). They will face two more tough ones in the coming days with Detroitâs Framber Valdez and New Yorkâs Max Fried on the schedule. Expect Cora to keep sitting Mayer, who has just four plate appearances against lefties all year, and finding at-bats for Monasterio and Kiner-Falefa. Yoshida, who hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning Friday, is a career .237 hitter with a .653 OPS against southpaws.
The Red Sox got to Skubal last season in Detroit, scoring five runs on seven hits in 6 â innings on May 14. He dominated right-handed batters (.572 OPS) in his Cy Young campaign but was particularly tough against lefties, holding them to a .215 average and .507 OPS. Thatâs why the Red Sox are playing just two left-handed batters (Anthony and Wilyer Abreu) against him.
On the mound for Boston is righty Brayan Bello, who pitched well Sunday in St. Louis (2 earned runs in 6 â innings) after a bumpy start to the season. First pitch from Fenway is at 4:05 p.m. ET as the Red Sox look for their first three-game winning streak of 2026.
DETROIT TIGERS (10-10) vs. BOSTON RED SOX (8-11) · FENWAY PARK · BOSTON, MA · GAME 20
FIRST PITCH: 4:10 p.m. ET
TV CHANNEL: NESN
RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM
PITCHING PROBABLES: LHP Tarik Skubal (2-2, 2.22 ERA) vs. RHP Brayan Bello (1-1, 6.14 ERA)
RED SOX LINEUP:
TIGERS LINEUP:
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