Sonny Gray Tasked with Turning the Tide for Red Sox Against Twins

Following a disheartening 13-6 loss in Monday night’s series opener at Target Field, the Boston Red Sox are looking to rebound as they continue their series against the Minnesota Twins. The defeat was particularly jarring, with Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet surrendering 11 runs (10 earned) in a mere 1⅔ innings. Now, the team turns to veteran right-hander Sonny Gray to restore order.

Gray has delivered consecutive quality starts, showcasing impressive control with only three walks allowed across 16⅓ innings pitched this season. His ability to limit free passes and induce weak contact will be crucial against a potent Twins lineup.

Game Preview: Red Sox vs. Twins

Red Sox Lineup (6-10)

• Anthony LF
• Durbin 3B
• Yoshida DH
• Contreras 1B
• Abreu RF
• Story SS
• Duran CF
• Narváez C
• Kiner-Falefa 2B

Pitching Matchup:

• Red Sox: RHP Sonny Gray (2-0, 2.76 ERA)

Twins Lineup (10-7)

• Buxton CF
• Larnach LF
• Keaschall 2B
• Bell DH
• Wallner RF
• Caratini C
• Clemens 1B
• Lee SS
• Gray 3B

Pitching Matchup:

• Twins: RHP Mick Abel (0-2, 6.08 ERA)

Time: 7:40 p.m. ET

TV, Radio: NESN+, WEEI-FM 93.7

Key Matchups & Stats

Here’s a look at how key Twins hitters have fared against Sonny Gray in the past:

• Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 1-2
• Josh Bell: 6-24
• Byron Buxton: 0-4
• Victor Caratini: 0-6
• Kody Clemens: 0-2
• Tristan Gray: 0-2
• Ryan Jeffers: 0-2
• Trevor Larnach: 3-5
• Austin Martin: 2-2
• James Outman: 1-2
• Matt Wallner: 2-5

Stat of the Day: The Twins currently boast a +15 run differential, ranking second in the American League, demonstrating their ability to consistently outscore opponents. You can find more MLB standings on the official MLB website.

Notes & Insights

• In 10 previous starts against the Twins, Gray holds a 3-5 record with a 5.19 ERA.
• Twins starter Mick Abel is making his first career appearance against the Red Sox. He’s coming off his strongest outing of the season, delivering six shutout innings against the Detroit Tigers.
• The Twins have won seven of their last eight games, fueled by strong team chemistry. Manager Derek Shelton emphasized, “This group really likes each other… It’s a tight-knit group… and I think the one thing about it is they all understand their roles and they’re all doing a really good job in their roles.”
• Roman Anthony has made two starts in the field over the past 11 games.
• Willson Contreras has reached base at least 30 times in the first 15 games of the season, becoming just the fourth Red Sox player this century to achieve this feat.

Material from Field Level Media was used in this report.

Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.