Game 62: Red Sox vs Yankees—Gray vs Weathers

Aaron Judge will miss at least four to six weeks with a rib stress fracture as the Red Sox open Game 62 against the Yankees at 7:05 p.m. Sonny Gray starts for Boston against Ryan Weathers. The lineups are set for a matchup that comes after Boston was swept at

When the Yankees announced Thursday that Aaron Judge would be out for at least four to six weeks with a stress fracture in his rib, the rest of the series suddenly felt different. Not because the history between these teams changes, but because the balance of what can go wrong shifts.

Friday’s opener at 7:05 p.m. is Game 62. and it’s also the first meeting between the Red Sox and Yankees since Boston managed just three runs while getting swept at Fenway April 21-23. With Judge sidelined. the starting pitching matchup is set: right-hander Sonny Gray for the Red Sox. left-hander Ryan Weathers for the Yankees.

The Red Sox will send out a lineup of Duran (LF), Rafaela (CF), Abreu (RF), Contreras (1B), Durbin (3B), Kiner-Falefa (SS), Monasterio (2B), Gasper (DH), and Wong (C).

Boston’s starter, Sonny Gray, enters at 6-1 with a 3.06 ERA.

The Yankees counter with Grisham (CF), Rice (DH), Goldschmidt (1B), Bellinger (LF), Chisholm Jr. (2B), Jones (RF), Volpe (SS), McMahon (3B), and Wells (C).

Ryan Weathers, set to start for New York, is 2-3 with a 3.52 ERA.

The day’s numbers already tell you how specific this matchup is going to be. In the Red Sox vs. Weathers set, Willson Contreras is 3-9, Isiah Kiner-Falefa is 1-1, and Andruw Monasterio is 1-3.

In the Yankees vs. Gray split, Cody Bellinger is 3-10, José Caballero is 3-7, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is 3-7, Paul Goldschmidt is 1-23, Trent Grisham is 4-7, Aaron Judge is 5-12, Ryan McMahon is 0-8, Ben Rice is 1-2, Amed Rosario is 6-22, Anthony Volpe is 0-5, and Austin Wells is 0-2.

Gray comes in with momentum, even if his past against New York has not been as kind. Since returning from a hamstring injury, he is 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA in five starts. He earned the win Saturday in Cleveland by allowing one run on four hits in six innings. Against the Yankees, though, he is 2-3 with a 4.15 ERA in eight starts.

Weathers is facing Boston for the first time. He recorded 10 strikeouts in his last time out, but he also allowed five runs in Saturday’s 6-4 loss to the Athletics.

At the plate, the Red Sox have a couple of sharp storylines themselves. Willson Contreras has a season-high 16-game on-base streak, recording at least one hit in 14 of those games. And for the Yankees. the lineup will have to adjust around Judge’s absence—something they’ve already been preparing for. Judge missed the previous three games against Cleveland, with Jose Caballero and Max Schuemann used in right field. Cody Bellinger may also see time in right field on occasion.

There’s a clean piece of context under all of it: the Red Sox are 16-14 on the road.

If you’re tracking what comes next. it’s also worth watching how these matchups play out after the earlier sweep. Boston had to carry the weight of being held to three runs in Fenway across April 21-23. and now the teams return with a different feel—one shaped by an injury that removes the Yankees’ most feared bat.

Game 62 starts Friday at 7:05 p.m., with NESN and WEEI-FM 93.7 covering the matchup.

Red Sox Yankees Game 62 Sonny Gray Ryan Weathers Aaron Judge rib stress fracture Willson Contreras Isiah Kiner-Falefa Andruw Monasterio