Red Sox set to debut Jake Bennett against Astros as both teams struggle to escape last place

Key facts

• Red Sox record: 12-19, last in AL East.
• Astros record: 12-20, tied for last in AL West.
• Jake Bennett, MLB debut, acquired from Nationals for Luis Perales.
• Bennett missed 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery.
• Mike Burrows (1-3, 6.25 ERA) starts for Astros.
• Game time: 7:05 p.m. ET, Friday, May 1.
• TV: NESN+, WEEI-FM 93.7.

Two last-place teams meet at Fenway

The Boston Red Sox return to Fenway Park on Friday night to open a three-game series against the Houston Astros, both teams mired in last place in their respective divisions. The Red Sox, at 12-19, sit at the bottom of the AL East after losing the final two games of their series in Toronto. The Astros, 12-20, are tied with the Angels for last in the AL West, having lost eight consecutive games since a 5-2 start. The series marks a critical juncture for both clubs, who entered the season with playoff aspirations but have stumbled out of the gate. For Boston, the absence of ace Garrett Crochet—placed on the 15-day injured list earlier this week—adds urgency to a rotation already under scrutiny.

Jake Bennett gets the call for his MLB debut

The Red Sox will start left-hander Jake Bennett, who will make his major league debut after being scratched from a Triple-A Worcester start on Tuesday. Acquired from the Washington Nationals in December for pitching prospect Luis Perales, Bennett was a second-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. He missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Interim manager Chad Tracy, making his Fenway Park debut, praised Bennett's development. "Big-time strike thrower," Tracy said. "The velocity and the fastball has obviously ticked up. He was coming off an arm injury when he was with Washington. But when he's sitting there 94 miles per hour—another guy kind of like Payton Tolle, doesn't throw as hard, but big guy that really gets down the mound with big extension. So he tends to get in on hitters, too, because the fastball plays up." Bennett has posted a 0.86 ERA over 21 innings in five starts for Worcester this season, working extensively with Boston's pitching development staff.

Astros counter with Mike Burrows

Houston will send right-hander Mike Burrows to the mound. Burrows, 1-3 with a 6.25 ERA this season, has been inconsistent but held the Red Sox to two runs over five innings in an April 1 start. He has 33 strikeouts and 12 walks over 31.2 innings. In his most recent outing, he limited the Yankees to two runs in five innings. Burrows has faced several Boston batters before: Jarren Duran is 2-for-5, Wilyer Abreu 1-for-3, Trevor Story 1-for-5, and Willson Contreras 1-for-2. The Astros lineup features Yordan Alvarez, who is hitting.356 with 12 home runs, and Christian Walker, who has rebounded to a.300/.371/.564 slash line after a rough 2025.

Series schedule and pitching matchups

The three-game series continues Saturday with Houston's Spencer Arrighetti (2.00 ERA) facing Boston's Connelly Early (2.84 ERA). Arrighetti has allowed four runs over 18 innings across three starts, with 21 strikeouts. Early is coming off a 6.2-inning win against the Orioles, allowing only two solo home runs. Sunday's finale features an undetermined Astros starter against Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suárez (3.09 ERA). Suárez threw eight scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts in Toronto, extending a stretch of 22 consecutive scoreless innings against the Blue Jays, Tigers, and Cardinals. His season debut, however, was a 4.1-inning, four-run outing against these same Astros.

Both teams seek to reverse early-season struggles

The Red Sox have not endured a long losing streak but have played in frustrating four-game cycles, leaving them seven games under.500. The sweep at the hands of the Astros in March—when Houston was 5-2—looms as a missed opportunity. With Crochet out for at least two weeks, Boston must hold together and hope to claw back games before their ace returns. The Astros, after an 8-game losing streak, have fallen from contention in the AL West. Their offense, led by Alvarez and Walker, has been productive, but pitching depth has been a concern. Both teams face an uphill climb in competitive divisions.

How to watch and what's at stake

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET on Friday, May 1. The game will be broadcast on NESN+ and WEEI-FM 93.7. For the Red Sox, a series win could provide momentum and a chance to climb out of the division cellar. For the Astros, it is an opportunity to halt their slide and regain footing in the AL West. The outcome of this series may not define either team's season, but it will signal whether either can reverse its trajectory. With both clubs desperate for wins, the three-game set at Fenway carries an urgency that belies the early calendar date.

The bottom line

• Jake Bennett makes his MLB debut for Boston after being acquired from Washington and recovering from Tommy John surgery.
• Both the Red Sox (12-19) and Astros (12-20) are in last place in their divisions.
• Houston has lost eight straight games since a 5-2 start.
• Mike Burrows, who held Boston to two runs in five innings on April 1, starts for the Astros.
• Garrett Crochet is on the 15-day IL, leaving Boston's rotation thin.
• The series continues Saturday with Spencer Arrighetti vs. Connelly Early and Sunday with an unknown Astros starter vs. Ranger Suárez.