First pitch is 7:10 PM PT for the middle game of the weekend series, and the rotation picture is the whole story here. Garrett Crochet is still in the early throwing-program stage of his shoulder/lat rehab, Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck are both on the 60-day, and Patrick Sandoval is still on a rehab assignment in Worcester. Whichever arm Chad Tracy runs out Saturday is doing it without the team's actual ace backing him up later in the series.
Seattle's pitching outlook is the opposite kind of story. Bryan Woo just went 7 strong in a 3-1 win over Baltimore to start this homestand, and the rotation has generally been the thing keeping the Mariners afloat while the lineup deals with its own injury list. If Boston catches Woo or anyone in that orbit Saturday, this is the kind of spot where a one-run grinder turns into a long night fast.
The vibes around Boston are bad and getting worse. They followed a feel-good Rangers series win at Fenway by getting punched in the mouth 6-1 by Toronto on Tuesday, and they're now 29-41 with the front office still working through the Alex Cora fallout from April. Tracy is 2 months into the interim gig and the roster keeps getting thinner — Trevor Story just had sports hernia surgery, Roman Anthony can't swing a bat yet, and Romy Gonzalez is only just starting a rehab assignment in Portland.
- Day-To-DayMickey Gasper C — Gasper (groin) remains out of the lineup for Tuesday's contest versus the Blue Jays.
- Day-To-DayHobie Harris RP — Harris was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILRoman Anthony LF — Anthony (finger) underwent a follow-up MRI on Tuesday that came back clean, but he's not yet cleared to swing a bat, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
- 10-Day-ILNick Sogard 3B — Sogard (oblique) told reporters Friday that he plans to start swinging a bat Monday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
- developmental listNoah Song SP — Song (elbow) was reinstated from Double-A Portland's 7-day injured list Friday and made his 2025 debut for the affiliate in relief Sunday, striking out one and issuing one walk over a scoreless inning.
- 15-Day-ILJovani Moran RP — The Red Sox placed Moran on the 15-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to Friday, with left elbow inflammation, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.
- 60-Day-ILRomy Gonzalez 1B — Gonzalez (shoulder) is beginning a rehab assignment with Double-A Portland on Tuesday, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
- 60-Day-ILGarrett Crochet SP — Crochet (shoulder/lat) began throwing a plyometric ball Tuesday as the first step of his throwing program, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayLuke Raley RF — Raley is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Orioles.
- Day-To-DayJosh Naylor 1B — Naylor (shin/wrist) isn't in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Orioles, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
- Day-To-DayDane Dunning RP — The Mariners signed Dunning to a minor-league contract Thursday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILRandy Arozarena LF — Arozarena (hamstring) isn't in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Orioles, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
- 10-Day-ILBrendan Donovan 3B — Donovan (groin) began a running progression Tuesday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILWill Wilson 3B — Wilson (thumb) has gone 3-for-9 with two RBI and a 1:2 BB:K in his first three rehab games between High-A Everett and Triple-A Tacoma.
- 15-Day-ILCooper Criswell RP — Criswell was diagnosed with a Grade 1-plus pectoral strain Tuesday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILMatt Brash RP — General manager Justin Hollander said Tuesday that Brash was diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain in his right lat, Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com reports.
Seattle isn't exactly cruising either. Randy Arozarena (hamstring) is on the 10-day, Josh Naylor (shin/wrist) and Luke Raley have both been in and out of the lineup day-to-day, and Matt Brash is down with a Grade 1 lat strain. But the Mariners have one massive equalizer the Red Sox don't: Cal Raleigh is locked in, the rotation has held up, and they already showed earlier this season what they can do to this Boston pitching staff when things click. Saturday's series opener weekend has all the markings of a home team's spot.
This is also a textbook get-right window for a Mariners team trying to stay in the AL West race after dropping 3 of 4 to the Nationals on the road last week. Boston has been one of the league's most beat-up teams for two months running, and the schedule isn't doing them any favors with a cross-country trip into a place that's traditionally been a house of horrors for visiting AL East offenses. Saturday night under the lights at T-Mobile is exactly where you'd circle a Seattle bounce-back.