Boston Red Sox (39-37) at San Francisco Giants (42-33)
Series Opener & The Devers Reunion
The Boston Red Sox continue their West Coast road trip, arriving in San Francisco for a three-game weekend series against the Giants. This Friday marks the opener of the series and brings a highly anticipated reunion: former Red Sox star Rafael Devers now playing for San Francisco.
Devers, whose surprising trade earlier this season stemmed partly from a reported lack of “alignment” with the Red Sox organization, particularly regarding a willingness to play first base after Triston Casas’s injury, has settled in with his new club. The Red Sox brass, including CBO Craig Breslow and President Sam Kennedy, framed the difficult decision as a necessary “reset” for the team, aiming to improve the team’s chances this year while creating a better environment for the young core and freeing up resources.
Devers recently began playing for the Giants, serving as their designated hitter in a series against Cleveland. While he collected three hits in those games, he has yet to homer for San Francisco and recorded just one RBI. Giants manager Bob Melvin is reportedly considering getting Devers more involved in the field, potentially at first base, which could happen as early as this weekend against his former team.
Boston’s Recent Momentum
Despite the significant move of trading their best hitter, the Red Sox have demonstrated resilience. They enter this series having won four consecutive series, including matchups against tough opponents like the Yankees and Mariners. This strong run has pushed them within five games of first place in the AL East and currently puts them in possession of the final American League wild-card spot. Boston has thrived against winning clubs lately, holding an impressive 9-3 record during a current 15-game stretch exclusively against teams with records of .500 or better. The team appears to be hitting its stride at a crucial time. Their recent 3-1 victory over the Mariners, highlighted by a dominant outing from Garrett Crochet (now leading MLB with 125 strikeouts and boasting a 2.20 ERA) and home runs from rookie Marcelo Mayer and the recently improved Trevor Story, underscored this momentum.
Friday’s Pitching Matchup
Taking the mound for the Red Sox in the series opener is right-hander Hunter Dobbins (4-1, 3.74 ERA). Dobbins has been solid, winning his last two starts against the Yankees, allowing just three combined runs over 11 innings. He will be making his first career appearance against the Giants.
The San Francisco Giants will counter with right-hander Hayden Birdsong (3-1, 2.79 ERA). Birdsong has been effective since joining the Giants’ rotation in late May, not allowing more than three earned runs in any of his five starts.
Notably, neither Red Sox nor Giants batters have any prior experience facing the opposing starting pitcher, which could give an early edge to the pitchers.
Red Sox Team Notes & Updates
Managerial Milestone: Manager Alex Cora’s 560 career victories now tie him with Pinky Higgins for third-most in Red Sox franchise history, trailing only Terry Francona (744) and Joe Cronin (1,071).
Roster Moves: The Red Sox officially demoted rookie infielder Kristian Campbell to Triple-A Worcester. This move follows a significant slump in Campbell’s offensive production (.159 AVG, .465 OPS since May) and defensive struggles (-14 DRS at second base). Manager Alex Cora stated the major league team prioritizes winning over development, suggesting the minors offer a better environment for Campbell to reset. His demotion coincides with the activation of outfielder Wilyer Abreu from the 10-day Injured List, who completed a rehab assignment.
Future Pitching: Following Dobbins on Friday, the Red Sox are scheduled to pitch Brayan Bello on Saturday and Lucas Giolito on Sunday.
Injury Update: In less positive pitching news, Double-A prospect Yordanny Monegro, who was having a breakout season (2-1, 2.67 ERA, high K rate), will undergo Tommy John surgery after tearing his UCL, ending his 2025 season and likely impacting 2026 as well.
The game is scheduled to begin at 10:15 p.m. ET and can be watched on NESN or listened to on WEEI-FM 93.7.
