Boston Red Sox at Athletics

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
BOS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	3	8	0
ATH	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	1	—	4	9	0

Jake Bennett takes the ball for Boston at 6:40 PM PT looking to keep a run going that's turned him into one of the better stories in the American League. Gage Jump gets the ball for Oakland, er, Sacramento, and he's been stuck in the kind of stretch where nothing goes right no matter how the box score reads.

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FINAL

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ML

Total

Red Sox(55-50)

WWLWL

3

-1.5+106-147o9.5-130

Athletics(44-62)

LLLWL

4

+1.5-104+144u9.5+138

Best BetRed Sox -155

Pregame

Boston's priced as a solid favorite here and the form backs it up — this is a team playing its best baseball of the year behind an ace-level arm, against an Athletics club that's lost 4 of 5 and can't buy a win in Jump's starts. The number reflects a real gap between these two right now, not just recent noise.

Bennett's turned into a stopper the Red Sox didn't know they had, and it's part of a bigger pattern under interim manager Chad Tracy, who's steadied a team that was 10-17 and directionless back in April. Boston's won 4 of its last 5, capped by Ceddanne Rafaela's grand slam Monday that snapped a scoreless, hitless bid through 5 innings and turned a nothing game into a comfortable win.

Jake Bennett

(7-5)·3.17 ERA

Jul 22 vs Orioles

W

5.2IP

3ER

4K

0BB

83P

07/28 Lineup

Gage Jump

(5-7)·4.46 ERA

Jul 22 @ Diamondbacks

L

4.2IP

6ER

5K

4BB

83P

07/28 Lineup

The Athletics, meanwhile, are stuck in the middle of a lost season in Sacramento, playing in front of announced crowds that dip into the 8,000s even in prime series. Jump's taken the loss in 6 straight starts, and it's not always been on him — the results have ranged from shutout-level outings to blowups — but a lineup that can't cash in behind him has turned a promising rookie year sour.

Boston's not walking into this series completely clean. Curtis Mead is banged up with a bruised wrist from Monday's game, and the left side of the infield is already thin with Trevor Story and Marcelo Mayer both out. Roman Anthony's finger injury has kept him in Florida rehabbing since before the All-Star break, and the rotation behind Bennett is missing three starters in Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck and Johan Oviedo.

Boston Red Sox

(11)

• Day-To-DayCurtis Mead (3B) — Mead suffered a bruised left wrist during Monday's game against the Athletics, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.07/28
• 10-Day-ILMarcelo Mayer (2B) — Mayer (forearm) has progressed from dry swings to hitting off a tee, MLB.com reports.07/26
• 10-Day-ILIsiah Kiner-Falefa (2B) — Kiner-Falefa (forearm) has been cleared to start his hitting progression with dry swings, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.07/20
• 60-Day-ILGarrett Crochet (SP) — Crochet (lat/shoulder) said Tuesday that he and the Red Sox training staff have no timeline in mind for when he'll be cleared to restart his throwing program, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.07/22
• 60-Day-ILZack Kelly (RP) — The Red Sox recalled Kelly (elbow) from Triple-A Worcester and placed him on the 60-day injured list Tuesday, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.07/21
• 60-Day-ILTrevor Story (SS) — Story (sports hernia) told reporters Monday that "sometime in August is in play" for him to embark on a rehab assignment, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.07/20
• 60-Day-ILTanner Houck (SP) — Houck (elbow) has started throwing two bullpen sessions per week, MLB.com reports.07/17
• 60-Day-ILJohan Oviedo (SP) — Oviedo (elbow) will throw a bullpen session next week, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.07/17
• 60-Day-ILRoman Anthony (LF) — Interim manager Chad Tracy confirmed Thursday that Anthony's (finger) recent follow-up appointment with Dr. Gary Lourie revealed no new information about his injury, and the outfielder will continue to rehab at the Red Sox's complex in Florida through at least the All-Star break, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.07/13
• 60-Day-ILKutter Crawford (SP) — The Red Sox announced June 29 that Crawford (forearm) has been throwing plyometric balls during workouts at the team's spring training facility in Florida, MLB.com reports.07/06
• 60-Day-ILTriston Casas (1B) — Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Saturday that Casas (abdomen/knee) has been shut down from hitting due to a wrist issue, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.07/06

Athletics

(12)

• Day-To-DayJeffrey Springs (SP) — Springs (hip) is gearing up to make his next start following a clean MRI, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/27
• 10-Day-ILShea Langeliers (C) — Langeliers will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/27
• 10-Day-ILJoshua Kuroda-Grauer (3B) — Kuroda-Grauer was diagnosed with a testicular contusion after exiting Monday's 5-2 win over the Diamondbacks, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/21
• 10-Day-ILZack Gelof (3B) — Gelof will begin baseball activities once the stitches on his right knee are removed Tuesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILMark Leiter Jr. (RP) — Leiter (hip) will undergo surgery Tuesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/27
• 15-Day-ILJ.T. Ginn (SP) — The Athletics placed Ginn on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to a blister on his right middle finger.07/22
• 15-Day-ILJustin Sterner (RP) — Sterner earned his first save of the season in Wednesday's extra-inning win over the Cubs. He tossed a perfect inning while striking out one.07/18
• 60-Day-ILLuis Severino (SP) — Severino's (shoulder) recent MRI showed signs of healing, but manager Mark Kotsay indicated Saturday that the right-hander is several weeks away from a potential return to the rotation, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/19
• 60-Day-ILDenzel Clarke (CF) — Manager Mark Kotsay said Saturday that Clarke (hamstring) is nearing a rehab assignment, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/19
• 60-Day-ILBrent Rooker (DH) — Rooker will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/17
• 60-Day-ILBrooks Kriske (RP) — Kriske (shoulder) began a throwing progression Thursday, MLB.com reports.06/16
• 60-Day-ILGunnar Hoglund (SP) — Hoglund (knee/back) will be sidelined for the rest of the 2026 season after undergoing surgery on his left hip Monday.05/20

Oakland's not exactly deep either. Shea Langeliers is out for a knee surgery, Brent Rooker's season is over, and the bullpen just lost Mark Leiter Jr. to hip surgery too. That's a taxed roster trying to hang with a Red Sox club playing its best baseball since April, and it shows in the way this series has gone so far.

Boston Red Sox

(55-50)

Jul 28W@ Athletics4-2

Jul 26Wvs Blue Jays6-1

Jul 25Lvs Blue Jays0-6

Jul 24Wvs Blue Jays6-4

Jul 22Lvs Orioles1-5

Athletics

(44-62)

Jul 28Lvs Red Sox2-4

Jul 26L@ Twins8-11

Jul 25L@ Twins0-2

Jul 25W@ Twins2-0

Jul 22L@ Diamondbacks5-15

None of that changes the shape of Tuesday's game much. Bennett's been shutting people down for two months, Jump's been getting shelled or unsupported for six straight starts, and Boston's lineup has more pieces intact than the group trying to slow it down. This is Boston's series to keep rolling, not the Athletics' spot to turn things around.