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Why are the Tigers playing the Red Sox on a Monday morning?
TL;DR
The Tigers are playing the Red Sox on Monday morning as part of a Boston tradition for Patriots' Day. The game at Fenway Park is scheduled to start at 11:10 a.m.
Key points
- Tigers and Red Sox playing on Monday morning
- Game is part of Boston's Patriots' Day tradition
- First pitch is scheduled for 11:10 a.m.
Mentioned in this story
Fenway Park
Patriots' DayTigersRed SoxBoston Marathon
The Tigers are getting ready to play some breakfast ball.
The finale of the four-game series between the Tigers and Red Sox at Fenway Park will start before noon on Monday, as Detroit takes part in a baseball tradition that is unique to Boston.
Why are the Tigers and Boston Red Sox playing Monday morning?
Monday is Patriots' Day in eight states (it's Patriot's Day in Maine, note the different placement of the apostrophe). And Massachusetts long has celebrated with two great sporting traditions: It's the day of the Boston Marathon, and the Red Sox play at home, with a scheduled morning start time.
First pitch at Fenway Park on Monday is scheduled for 11:10 a.m.
Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres signs autographs for fans at Fenway Park before the game Friday, April 17, 2026.
When did the Red Sox Patriots' Day tradition start?
The tradition goes back over 100 years, when Boston was a two-baseball-team town. Starting in 1959, the Red Sox have been scheduled to play at home every Patriots' Day (the third Monday in April). The early start means that the Red Sox and the Boston Marathon are happening at the same time. The Boston Marathon has been run every Patriots' Day since 1897, except 2020 and 2021.
Have the Tigers ever played the Patriots' Day game?
Yes. The Tigers have played the Red Sox in Boston nine times on Patriots' Day, according to bostonspastime.com. But it's been 40 years. The Tigers last . Darnell Coles homered for the Tigers, whose lineup featured Lou Whitaker, Kirk Gibson, Lance Parrish and Alan Trammell (batting ninth!).
Q&A
Why do the Red Sox play on Patriots' Day?
The Red Sox play on Patriots' Day as part of a long-standing Boston tradition that coincides with the Boston Marathon.
What time is the Tigers vs Red Sox game on Monday?
The game between the Tigers and Red Sox is scheduled to start at 11:10 a.m.
What is Patriots' Day and where is it celebrated?
Patriots' Day is celebrated in eight states, including Massachusetts, and marks the start of the Boston Marathon and the Red Sox game.
