Sonny Gray starts as Red Sox eye series clinch vs. Athletics
Sonny Gray takes the mound for the Boston Red Sox against the Athletics in Thursday’s series finale, looking to rebound from a rough outing against Toronto. The right-hander enters at 12-2 with a 2.78 ERA after nine consecutive quality starts before allowing five runs in five innings last time out.
Key Takeaways
- Sonny Gray (12-2, 2.78 ERA) starts for Boston after allowing five runs on 10 hits in five innings against the Blue Jays.
- Athletics counter with Mason Barnett (1-1, 4.74 ERA) in his first start of the season, with a bullpen game expected.
- A Red Sox win would clinch their seventh consecutive series and ninth of their last 11.
- Boston is 19-4 in July and an MLB-best 27-8 since June 19 after a 4-2, 10-inning win Wednesday.
First pitch is set for 9:40 p.m. on NESN, with coverage of the series finale also tracked across Future Tech & AI Wonders on BlasterPost.
Why does Sonny Gray’s rebound start matter?
Gray’s recent form makes this outing a clear pivot for Boston. Before the Blue Jays loss, he had posted nine consecutive quality starts, including five with at least six innings and one or no runs allowed.
Over his previous five starts before Toronto, he had allowed just four runs in 32⅓ innings for a 1.11 ERA, according to The Boston Globe.
A strong night would help the Red Sox take three of four and keep a surging stretch intact. They have allowed two runs or fewer in 13 of their 23 July games.
How do the Red Sox and Athletics lineups stack up?
Boston’s projected nine: Siegler at second, Rafaela in center, Abreu in right, Contreras at first, Yoshida at DH, Durbin at third, Duran in left, Monasterio at short, and Wong behind the plate.
Andruw Monasterio’s two-run blast in the 10th decided Wednesday’s 4-2 win, and he remains in a mostly unchanged Red Sox look.
Oakland’s order lists Kurtz at first, Wilson at DH, Soderstrom in left, Heim catching, White at third, Butler in center, McNeil at second, Cortes in right, and Walton at short. Nick Kurtz is back after exiting early the night before.
Can Mason Barnett slow Boston’s July surge?
Barnett, 25, enters his 15th appearance and first start of 2026 with a 1.38 WHIP and 23 strikeouts over 24 innings. He has worked exclusively in relief this season and has two saves.
His longest outing this year was a four-inning scoreless stint against the Astros on June 5. Last season he started twice against the Red Sox and posted a 5.87 ERA in two no-decisions.
Gray began his career with the Athletics from 2013–17 and is 2-2 with a 4.58 ERA in seven career starts against them. Boston is 27-13 on the road since April 25 and has won each of its last 22 games when scoring at least four runs.
After Thursday, the Red Sox head to Los Angeles for three games against the Dodgers beginning Friday night.