MLB Game Preview: Boston Red Sox (73-59) vs. Miami Marlins (67-66)

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First pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET
Venue: loanDepot park, Miami, Florida

This is the finale of a three-game interleague series. The Red Sox have won the first two games (4-2 on Monday and 7-3 in 11 innings on Tuesday) and ride a five-game winning streak overall. Boston sits third in the AL East and remains firmly in the AL Wild Card mix. Miami is third in the NL East, hovering around .500 and still mathematically alive in the wild-card race but facing an uphill climb.

Probable Starting Pitchers

Red Sox: RHP Sonny Gray (16-3, 2.79 ERA, 1.16 WHIP in 138.2 IP with 123 strikeouts). The veteran has been one of Boston’s most reliable arms all season, posting elite results and ranking among league leaders in wins.

Marlins: RHP Ryan Gusto (0-3, 4.37 ERA, 1.34 WHIP in 57.2 IP with 51 strikeouts across mostly shorter starts). The right-hander has shown flashes but has limited deep outings and a winless record as a starter this year.

Current Weather Forecast (Miami / loanDepot park area)

Hot and humid with highs near 89°F (heat index potentially into the low 100s). Mostly sunny to partly cloudy with a 50–60% chance of showers and thunderstorms, especially in the afternoon and evening. Southeast winds 5–11 mph. loanDepot park has a retractable roof, which can mitigate weather impacts if storms arrive.

Injury Reports

Red Sox: Significant IL list includes Masataka Yoshida (hamstring, 10-day), Curtis Mead (hand/wrist, 10-day), Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten (elbow, 15-day), plus longer-term absences such as Trevor Story (abdomen), Roman Anthony (wrist/finger — possible return soon), Garrett Crochet (shoulder), Tanner Houck, Triston Casas, and others. Catcher Adley Rutschman has dealt with elbow irritation.

Marlins: Max Meyer (neck, 15-day), Anthony Bender (shin, 15-day), Pete Fairbanks (nerve irritation, recently placed on IL or day-to-day), plus several pitchers on the 60-day IL (Adam Mazur, William Kempner, Andrew Nardi, Robby Snelling, Ronny Henriquez, and others). Lineup and bullpen depth are affected.

Key Current Roster Contributors

Red Sox: Ceddanne Rafaela (high average, multi-tool), Willson Contreras, Jarren Duran (recent grand slam hero), Mickey Gasper (hot power), Wilyer Abreu, Nick Sogard, Connor Wong, and supporting pieces. Strong recent offense and pitching depth when healthy.

Marlins: Otto Lopez (high average), Heriberto Hernández (power), Xavier Edwards, Javier Sanoja, Griffin Conine, Esteury Ruiz, and others. Speed and contact oriented with some power threats.

Recent Team Forms

Red Sox (hot: 5-game win streak; ~8-2 in last 10): Surging with series wins and strong road play (39-27 away). They have taken both games of this series and are 14-6 in their last 20 overall. Offense and pitching have clicked.

Marlins (mixed: L2 after the series losses; ~5-5 in last 10): Competitive at home (strong home record) but struggling to close out games against hotter teams. Bullpen issues have surfaced recently.

Series History

Boston leads the current three-game set 2-0 after Monday’s 4-2 win and Tuesday’s extra-inning victory. The clubs have limited recent head-to-head history this season beyond this interleague matchup. loanDepot park generally plays neutral-to-pitcher friendly with the roof closed.

Key Player vs. Player Matchups

Sonny Gray vs. Marlins lineup: Gray’s command, strikeout ability, and low ERA make him a tough matchup for Miami’s contact/speed group (Lopez, Edwards). He has limited hard contact effectively all year.

Ryan Gusto vs. Red Sox lineup: Gusto’s shorter outings and higher ERA leave him vulnerable to Boston’s balanced attack, especially power from Contreras, Duran, Gasper, and Rafaela’s consistency. Early runs could force the Marlins bullpen into heavy usage.

Bullpens: Boston’s late-inning options (when healthy) have an edge; Miami’s has been taxed and missing key pieces like Fairbanks.

Speed and defense: Both teams can run (Marlins more so historically this year), but Boston’s recent execution and Gray’s ability to control the running game favor the visitors.

Betting Trends

Trends support the hotter team and better starter. Public money often backs Boston; totals lean toward the under in Gray starts and roof-closed conditions.

Game Odds

Boston Red Sox                 – 152

Miami Marlins                  7.5

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, August 25, 2026

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