PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
First pitch: 7:15 p.m. ET.
TV: FOX.
This is Game 2 of a three-game series. The Pirates took the opener 8-4 on Friday behind home runs from Rafael Flores Jr. (solo) and Brandon Lowe (three-run), plus contributions from Bryan Reynolds and Esmerlyn Valdez. Bubba Chandler earned the win. The Red Sox have lost six of their last seven after a strong stretch earlier. Boston sits third in the AL East; Pittsburgh is fifth in the NL Central.
Starting Pitchers
Red Sox: RHP Sonny Gray (14-3, 2.79 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 125.2 IP, 110 K, 33 BB in 22 starts). Excellent season with strong command and consistency. Recent form includes quality outings (e.g., scoreless vs.
White Sox, solid vs. Blue Jays). Career vs. Pirates: solid (roughly 7-6, 3.61 ERA in prior appearances). Road numbers remain effective.
Pirates: RHP Jared Jones (2-4, 5.03 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 59.0 IP, 65 K, 19 BB in 13 starts). Returning from earlier injury limitations with mixed results; recent outings include a rough 8-ER short start vs. Mets and another multi-run allowance. Higher K rate but elevated ERA and vulnerability to hard contact/home runs. First career appearance vs. Red Sox.
Gray holds a clear edge in experience, results, and current form.
Probable/Approximate Key Roster Notes
Red Sox (key contributors from recent reports): Ceddanne Rafaela (strong AVG), Willson Contreras (power/RBI), Adley Rutschman, Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida, Nick Sogard (recent production), Wilyer Abreu, others. Offense around .248 AVG with solid power.
Pirates (key contributors): Brandon Lowe (power leader, recent multi-hit/HR), Bryan Reynolds (consistent), Rafael Flores Jr. (hot with recent HRs), Nick Gonzales (high AVG, day-to-day), Jake Mangum, Spencer Horwitz, Esmerlyn Valdez, others. Stronger team AVG and run production overall this season.
Exact lineups TBA; check closer to first pitch.
Injury Reports
Red Sox: Curtis Mead (10-day IL, hand), Garrett Whitlock (15-day, elbow), Tanner Houck (60-day, elbow), Zack Kelly (60-day, elbow), Trevor Story (60-day, abdomen), Garrett Crochet (60-day, shoulder), Roman Anthony (60-day, wrist), Johan Oviedo (60-day, elbow), Isiah Kiner-Falefa (60-day, forearm), Kutter Crawford (60-day, wrist), Triston Casas (60-day, knee). Significant depth challenges.
nytimes.com
Pirates: Endy Rodriguez (10-day IL, hip), Ryan O’Hearn (10-day, quadricep), Mitch Keller (60-day, arm), Oneil Cruz (60-day, hand), Konnor Griffin (60-day, finger); Nick Gonzales day-to-day (head). Key absences in the lineup and rotation.
Weather Forecast
PNC Park: Partly cloudy to mostly sunny during the day, with highs in the low-to-mid 80s°F. Overnight/evening chance of showers or thunderstorms (increasing later, potentially 70-90% overnight into Sunday). Light winds (~5 mph or less). Comfortable early but monitor for possible late delays or humidity. Neutral-to-slight pitcher-friendly conditions if dry.
Recent Team Forms
Red Sox: Struggling recently (lost 6 of last 7; 1-4-ish in last 5). Strong road record overall (36-26) and better pitching ERA (~3.51). Offense has been quieter on the current trip.
Pirates: 2-game win streak (hot bats with 23 runs in last 3 games mentioned in previews); mixed last 10. Better at home (31-30). Offense ranks well in AVG/OBP/runs; pitching ERA higher (~4.32).
Series History (2026 and recent)
Pirates lead this series 1-0 after Friday’s win. Limited 2026 meetings so far. Historical H2H has been competitive, with recent years showing mixed results (Boston took series in some prior seasons).
Key Player vs. Player / Matchup Notes
Gray (RHP, elite command/low ERA) vs. Pirates order (Lowe power, Reynolds consistency, Flores hot streak, Gonzales contact): Gray’s ability to limit hard contact and generate weak contact/grounders will be tested by Pittsburgh’s productive bats. Career success vs. some of these hitters (e.g., limited damage from Reynolds/Lowe in samples).
Jones (RHP, higher ERA/K potential) vs. Red Sox bats (Contreras power, Rafaela contact, Rutschman, Duran speed): Jones’ recent struggles with runs and home runs could allow Boston’s lineup to get on track after a quiet stretch. First look favors the more experienced Gray side.
Broader: Pirates’ recent power surge (Flores multi-HR stretch) vs. Gray’s consistency. Baserunning and defense (Pirates speed elements) could factor. Bullpen usage key given both teams’ injury lists.
Betting Trends
Gray’s strong win rate and quality starts favor Boston. Pirates’ recent offense and home edge provide counter. Unders have value with Gray on the mound historically in tighter games; Friday went Over.
GAME ODDS
Boston Red Sox – 111
Pittsburgh Pirates 7.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, August 14, 2026
