1:53 p.m.: The Red Sox confirmed Bennett as Friday’s starting pitcher.
Bennett was acquired by the Red Sox last December from Washington in exchange for pitching prospect Luis Perales. The Nationals had drafted him in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft. Due to Tommy John surgery, he sat out the entire 2024 season.
“He’s a big-time strike thrower,” stated Chad Tracy, set to debut as the Red Sox’s interim manager at Fenway. “His fastball velocity has clearly increased. He was recovering from an arm injury while with Washington. But now, hitting 94 [miles per hour] – he’s similar to [Payton] Tolle, not throwing quite as hard, but a large individual who gets significant extension off the mound. This helps his fastball challenge hitters more effectively.”
The Astros’ opposing pitcher will be right-hander Mike Burrows, who holds a 1-0 record and a 3.86 ERA across two previous matchups with the Red Sox.
Here’s a detailed preview of the game.
ASTROS (12-20): Correa SS, Alvarez DH, Paredes 3B, Walker 1B, Altuve 2B, Diaz C, Smith RF, Matthews CF, Harris LF.
Pitching: RHP Mike Burrows (1-3, 6.25 ERA)
RED SOX (12-19): Duran LF, Contreras 1B, Anthony DH, Abreu RF, Story SS, Mayer 2B, Rafaela CF, Narváez C, Durbin 3B.
Pitching: LHP Jake Bennett (MLB debut)
Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV, radio: NESN+, WEEI-FM 93.7
Astros vs. Bennett: Has not faced any Houston batters
Red Sox vs. Burrows: Wilyer Abreu 1-3, Roman Anthony 1-1, Willson Contreras 1-2, Jarren Duran 2-5, Caleb Durbin 0-6, Isiah Kiner-Falefa 0-1, Carlos Narváez 0-1, Ceddanne Rafaela 0-1, Trevor Story 1-5, Connor Wong 2-2, Masataka Yoshida 1-4
Stat of the day: Yordan Alvarez boasts a .391 batting average, nine home runs, and 25 RBIs over 26 career regular-season games against the Red Sox.
Notes: Bennett’s season with Worcester includes a 2-1 record and a 0.86 ERA across five starts, where he’s recorded 16 strikeouts and only three walks over 21 innings. Tracy, who previously managed Bennett for the WooSox, noted, “He’s consistently in the strike zone. He’s excellent at holding runners, capable of using a slide step or a leg kick, and delivers all his pitches effectively. He has been exceptionally good at throwing strikes, at least at that level, leading to frequent weak contact.” On Thursday, the Red Sox had a day off, while the Astros split a doubleheader against the Orioles in Baltimore. Alvarez’s 13-game hitting streak ended in the first game on Thursday, but he rebounded by hitting a home run in Houston’s 11-5 victory in the second game. He currently shares the lead in the AL for home runs (12) and ranks first in both RBIs (27) and batting average (.356).
This report includes information provided by Field Level Media.
Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.