The Boston Red Sox will go for their second series sweep of the 2026 season against the Seattle Mariners. However, they’ll do it without right fielder Wilyer Abreu in their starting lineup.
Seigler 2B Rafaela CF Gasper DH Contreras 1B Duran LF Durbin 3B Mayer SS Wong C Eaton RF
Abreu, 26, has been one of the few bright spots for the Red Sox in what’s been a miserable 2026 season. He enters this game with a .275/.334/.433 slash with nien home runs and a 108 wRC+.
MassLive’s Chris Cotillo noted that Abreu has started 73 of the team’s 74 games on the season. The only other game he was out of the lineup was on April 15 against the Minnesota Twins. Utilityman Nate Eaton will start in right field, batting ninth in the Red Sox order.
Since this is a scheduled off day, Abreu should be available to hit off the bench if needed.
The Red Sox take on Logan Gilbert, with a first pitch time at T-Mobile Park set for 4:10 pm ET.
Wilyer Abreu Sits in Red Sox Finale vs. Mariners
Wilyer Abreu is the second starting outfielder taking a day off in their weekend series against the Mariners. Center fielder Cedanne Rafaela sat out the Red Sox’s 5-1 win on June 20.
Interim manager Chad Tracy has been looking to get his starting outfield rest days on this six-game road trip to the West Coast. They’ll head to Denver after the game to take on the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
At the high elevation, Coors can be a tricky park to play in. It’s a spacious outfield, which is probably why Tracy wants his outfielders rested going into that series. Duran, Rafaela, and Abreu all grade well defensively, with all three posting at least +6 Defensive Runs Saved and +4 Outs Above Average.
“The intent on this trip is to try to, whether it’s DH or an off day, to mix in a break for those guys, especially with this trip, going west and how rigorous that can be,” Tracy told Cotillo on June 18.
Taking Tracy’s words into consideration, left fielder Jarren Duran will likely sit out a game during the Rockies series. Colorado has left-handers Sean Sullivan and Kyle Freeland scheduled to pitch the final two games. Either game could easily justify the All-Star taking a rest day.
The Red Sox have Rafaela, Duran, Abreu, and Eaton as their current outfield mix for the season.
Red Sox Lineup Notes
The Red Sox will keep Anthony Seigler in the leadoff spot. He went 1-for-4 in his first game back. Boston has used 10 different leadoff hitters this season, as they’ve struggled to get consistent production.
Seigler has started the last two games at second, in place of utility infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Kiner-Falefa was added to the 10-day injured list the night before after a forearm injury made it impossible to continue playing.
Connor Wong gets the start behind home plate. Typically, there’s a change at the position in a day game after a night game situation. Carlos Narvaez started the first two games of the series.
Mickey Gasper starts at designated hitter. He returns to the lineup after an off day in the series’ middle game. Gasper is slashing .258/.311/.330 on the year with a 75 wRC+.
Boston Red Sox Announce Wilyer Abreu Decision Before Mariners Game