This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
BOSTON – The road has been oddly comforting for the underperforming Red Sox of late, as they’ve won nine of their last 12 games not played at Fenway Park.
If they can continue that trend this weekend, it might finally give them the burst of momentum they’ve been seeking all season.
The Sox open a three-game series on Friday night in the belly of the beast, Yankee Stadium, marking the club’s first visit to the Bronx this season. Through the years, few things have sparked Boston like a good showing in New York.
This will be the first time interim manager Chad Tracy has been at the helm during a rivalry series. When the Sox were swept by the Yankees at Fenway April 21-23, they only scored three runs.
Here are some key Red Sox subplots for the series at Yankee Stadium.
Sonny Gray headlines the opener
How fitting that the Sox will send Sonny Gray to the mound for the opener of this three-game set. It has been well-chronicled that Gray didn’t perform well as a Yankee, going 15-16 with a 4.51 ERA during his brief stint in 2017-19.
On the day Gray had his introductory Zoom after his trade to the Red Sox in November, the righty added fuel to the fire by expressing his displeasure with the New York experience.
“New York, it just wasn't a good situation for me,” said Gray. “Wasn't a great setup for me and my family. I never wanted to go there in the first place. When that was kind of happening, we were in Oakland, and I was getting traded. It just didn’t really work for who I am.”
You can bet those comments, even though they are six months old, will raise the ire of Yankees fans when Gray takes the mound on Friday.
“It’s nothing I can control. I’ll be all right,” said Gray.
Gray has pitched twice at Yankee Stadium as a visitor, once before he played for the Yankees and once after, posting a 2.77 ERA while taking two no-decisions. In 16 starts in the home pinstripes, it was a different story, as Gray went 6-7 with a 6.55 ERA.
“There are probably a few places that get your blood pumping a little bit more than others, and that’s a very historic place, as is Fenway. I’m looking forward to it,” said Gray. “More importantly, we need to win some games. That’s just kind of where my head is. We need to try to put some good baseball together. We just need to win some games.”
The 36-year-old righty has been a bright spot for the Red Sox this season, going 6-1 with a 3.06 ERA.
Suarez seeks Rosy redemption
While Gray was on the injured list during the previous rivalry series this season, Ranger Suarez, the free agent the Sox signed to a five-year, $130 million contract over the winter, had an outing he’d like to forget.
In a 4-1 loss on April 22, Suarez lasted just 4 1/3 innings. His night was basically ruined when he gave up a three-run homer to Amed Rosario in the first inning. Suarez will get his chance to even the score when he takes the ball on Saturday night.
The lefty, like Gray, has been one of the best performers for the Sox in 2026, notching a 3.38 ERA over 11 starts. He made his first career start at Yankee Stadium last season while pitching for the Phillies, allowing one run over 5 2/3 innings.
Durbin’s Bronx debut
As a Yankees Minor Leaguer in 2023-24, Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin dreamt of one day calling the Bronx his home. However, he was traded to Milwaukee after that ‘24 season, then to the Sox just before Spring Training of this season. And Friday will mark his first career game at the cathedral that is Yankee Stadium.
Durbin got off to an uncomfortably slow start for the Red Sox at the plate, but has performed much better over the last five games, going 7-for-20, including four doubles and a triple. Now, perhaps he can use his opposite-field stroke to take aim at that short porch in right field.
“It was my first big league camp. So that was a big step for me,” said Durbin, reflecting on his time in the Yankees’ system. “You take it in steps, and getting your first big league camp is a big accomplishment. And that was the team that ended up making it to the World Series. So it was a really valuable experience just being around.”
Tracy’s Stadium debut
Though Tracy was able to experience Yankee Stadium II when his father, Jim, was a Major League manager, this will be his first trip to the latest version that opened in 2009.
“Excited to see it,” said Tracy.
Tracy developed an appreciation for parks like Yankee Stadium and many others during his unique travel experiences with his dad.
“I went to enough parks [with my dad],” Tracy said. “All of them were cool. When you're a kid, growing up in the game with your dad, all of them are cool. You get to step out and see all these different places, and even as a kid, or I was in high school and college, you can appreciate what you're seeing, what you're looking at.
“I think, even at an early age, it was what drove me. When I saw [those parks], it was like, ‘This is what I want to do, you know, this is amazing.’ So I still feel the exact same way. I'm 40 years old now, and I walk into big league stadiums, I look around and I'm like very blessed.”