Red Sox lineup: Bello looks to build off dominant start, Casas hitting .425 in last 22 interleague games
The calendar has flipped to September, and the Red Sox are entering the final month of the season, 4 1/2 games out of the third and final wild-card spot in the American League.
Boston will turn the page on the series loss to the Tigers over the weekend and travel to Citi Field to begin a three-game series with the Mets.
Brayan Bello will start for the Red Sox, coming off his last outing where allowed just two hits over eight scoreless frames in the team’s 3-0 win over the Blue Jays at Fenway Park.
Bello has never faced the Mets and is 3-2 with a 4.28 over six starts (33 2/3 innings) this season vs. National League teams. Since the start of July, Bello is 5-1 with a 3.70 ERA in 11 starts (65 2/3 innings). The righty has posted a 3.00 ERA over 30 innings with 28 strikeouts in his five starts in the month of August.
The Sox are 17-8 in Bello starts, which includes posting a 6-1 record in his last seven outings and 8-2 in his last 10. Boston is 9-3 in his road starts this season, winning four of his last five.
Jarren Duran enters the series opener with the Mets owning a three-game hitting streak. He is 5-for-13, with two doubles and one homer over that stretch. The speedy outfielder ranks third in the majors with an 8.7 bWAR and fourth with a 6.9 fWAR, according to Baseball Reference.
Triston Casas has cooled some at the plate, going 1 for his last 18 after going 15 for his first 41 (.366) after coming off the 60-day injured list on Aug. 16.
In his career against the Mets, the lefty slugger is 6-for-10 with two homers and two walks. Casas has hit .425 with 11 HR in his last 22 interleague games (34-for-80).
The 24-year-old is three homers shy of 100 for his career (97) and five RBI shy of 100 (95).
Rafael Devers is two home runs shy of his fourth career 30 homer season, which would be tied for fifth most in Sox history. He would tie Jim Rice and Mo Vaughn and would trail David Ortiz (10) for the all-time club record.
Enmanuel Valdez will start for the first time since being recalled from Triple-A Worcester. He will bat eighth and play second base.
MiLB and league notes
Trevor Story will start at shortstop for the WooSox on Monday. He went 2-for-4 with a double on Sunday as the designated hitter for Worcester. With the WooSox off on Tuesday, Story is expected to play the infield again on Wednesday during their road series with the Rochester RedWings.
The Reds designated former Red Sox first baseman Dominic Smith for assignment on Sunday. The 29-year-old was with the Reds for over a week, appearing in nine games. He hit just .192/.276/.269 during his cup of coffee in Cincinnati. If he clears waivers, he could be outrighted to Triple-A Louisville or elect free agency and hook on with a team for a few weeks before the season ends.
Key stats and Red Sox lineup
Mets vs. Bello: Harrison Bader 1-5, Tyrone Taylor 1-2, Jesse Winker 1-5
Former Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez was placed on the paternity list prior to the series opener.
Pablo Reyes was added to the Mets 28-man roster as part of the September call-ups on Sunday. He’s played in one game for the Mets and has scored a run.
Red Sox vs. Severino: Triston Casas 1-2, Rafael Devers 2-16, Jarren Duran 1-2, Romy González 0-2, Danny Jansen 1-3, Rob Refsnyder 1-2
Red Sox (70-67) lineup at the Mets (73-64):
Jarren Duran CF
Wilyer Abreu RF
Tyler O’Neill LF
Rafael Devers 3B
Triston Casas 1B
Masataka Yoshida DH
Connor Wong C
Enmanuel Valdez 2B
Ceddanne Rafaela SS
SP: RHP Brayan Bello (12-6, 4.66 ERA)
The first pitch is at 7:10 p.m. and can be seen on NESN, FuboTV, or Sling, and it can be heard on WEEI 93.7 FM.
