The Boston Red Sox carried a hard-fought 6-5 win into Friday after opening their series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
That result put extra weight on the next game, and interim manager Chad Tracy responded by leaving most of his Thursday lineup intact while making a handful of targeted changes.
The most notable of those changes involves veteran infielder Trevor Story.
Story had been held out of the starting nine on Thursday after coming off a lengthy injured-list stay earlier in the week. Tracy has now slotted him back into the lineup for Friday, giving him the shortstop job and the eighth spot in the order, via Underdog MLB.
The rest of the group stays familiar, with Roman Anthony at designated hitter, Michael Gasper at first, Adley Rutschman behind the plate, Wilyer Abreu in right, Nick Sogard at second, Cam Durbin at third, Jarren Duran in left and Enmanuel White in center.
Ranger Suarez takes the mound.
The only other notable absence is Ceddanne Rafaela, who will miss a second straight start. That continued benching has already raised questions about how soon the club expects him to return.
Story’s 2026 season has been defined more by time missed than by production. In 45 games he has hit .227 with 17 runs, 41 hits, three home runs and 23 RBIs in 181 at-bats, slugging .337 with a .597 OPS.
The numbers look modest, yet the recent sample after his Aug. 30 return has been encouraging. He has collected at least one hit in each of his four games back and has gone for two or more hits in three of those contests. He also delivered a walk-off single in Monday’s series opener against the Seattle Mariners.
That modest surge is why Tracy’s decision to reinsert him against Baltimore carries some practical weight.
The Red Sox are trying to keep momentum after a one-run victory on the road, and Story’s glove at shortstop plus his recent contact give the club another option as the series continues.
Whether the move pays off immediately will be tested Friday night, but the choice itself signals that the club is ready to treat Story as a regular again after his latest stretch on the shelf.
