First Pitch: 6:45 p.m. ET
The Red Sox and Phillies will tell us a lot about themselves during Wednesday’s matchup at Fenway Park.
Boston and Philadelphia both notably fired their managers three weeks ago, with the former treading water (7-7) since dismissing Alex Cora in favor of Chad Tracy, while the latter has completely turned things around (11-3) after dropping Rob Thomson for Don Mattingly. It’s not like things will stay this way forever, though — right?
Willson Contreras will return to the lineup for the home team, batting fourth after receiving an extra day of rest. Connor Wong will replace Carlos Narváez behind the dish, while Ceddanne Rafaela gets the night off after playing every game this month.
Kyle Schwarber is back in the leadoff spot, so be careful if you’re sitting in the right field grandstand.
Sonny Gray will make his second start since returning from the injured list on May 6, where he pitched five scoreless innings in a victory over the Detroit Tigers. Andrew Painter will make his first career start at America’s Most Beloved Ballpark, carrying a 6.89 ERA with 30 strikeouts across 32.2 innings pitched during his rookie campaign in 2026.
