The Boston Red Sox travel to Baltimore to take on the Orioles on Friday night in game one of a three-game American League East battle over the weekend. The Red Sox come in after getting swept in a three-game series to start the week in Tampa Bay. The Orioles come in having lost three of four games to the Blue Jays to start the week. The pitching matchup for Friday night will be rookie right-hander Brayan Bello (1-4, 4.91) of the Red Sox taking on Austin Voth (4-2, 4.41) of the Orioles. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm EST.
The Boston Red Sox will be on the outside of the playoffs looking in this season after advancing to the American League Championship in 2021. The Red Sox have been unable to overcome countless injuries, particularly to the team's pitching staff, and the sudden power drop-off of key players like Xander Bogaerts and JD Martinez. The duo have combined for 51 home runs last season but have just 23 home runs combined this season. As a result, what was once one of the most feared lineups in baseball is now a mediocre starting nine with far too many holes in it. That was on full display in the final game of the Rays series when the Sox lineup was shutout 1-0 by five different Rays pitchers.
REFSNYDER CALLED GAME. pic.twitter.com/1E2nLYXiml
— Red Sox (@RedSox) September 2, 2022
The Red Sox have begun to add some younger players to the roster to showcase down the stretch. First baseman Tristan Casas was recently brought to the big club and belted his first major league home run in the Tampa Bay series. On Friday night, the Red Sox will feature another potential future star in right-hander Brayan Bello. Bello has steadily improved since his callup in July. In his last three starts, he is 1-1 with a solid 3.00 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 15 innings of work.