Twins vs – Friday’s 7:10 p.m. opener turns into a left-hander showdown at Fenway, with Connor Prielipp facing Payton Tolle. Jarren Duran is rolling for Boston, while Minnesota will play without catcher Ryan Jeffers, sidelined for 6 to 8 weeks after a left hamate bone fra
At 7:10 p.m., the Red Sox and Twins will tip off a matchup built on one simple thing: both starters are left-handed.
Boston will send Payton Tolle to the mound, and Minnesota counters with Connor Prielipp in a Friday opener that starts a little later than usual—under NESN and WEEI-FM 93.7 coverage.
The Red Sox lineup reads Duran LF, Rafaela CF, Abreu RF, Contreras 1B, Monasterio DH, Sogard SS, Mayer 2B, Narváez C, Durbin 3B. Minnesota’s card is Buxton DH, Lee 3B, Martin CF, Bell 1B, Gonzalez LF, Kreidler SS, Clemens RF, Keaschall 2B, Jackson C.
Tolle (2-2. 2.05 ERA) has been steady enough that his recent start sticks out: he came out of a 3-2 win over the Braves last Saturday after eight innings. Prielipp (1-2. 2.88 ERA) is heading into Friday’s game with a quieter edge—he struck out eight in six innings in his most recent start. but it ended in a 2-1 loss to the Brewers.
One matchup thread connects everything: Jarren Duran’s current stretch. In his last five games, Duran has gone 7 for 19 with six extra-base hits and six RBIs.
For Minnesota, the lineup isn’t just about who’s in—it’s also about who isn’t. Catcher Ryan Jeffers has been placed on the injured list Tuesday with a left hamate bone fracture, and he’s expected to miss 6 to 8 weeks. Jeffers was batting .295 with 26 RBIs before the injury.
The Twins are leaning on the catch-all approach they’ve discussed internally. Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “One of the things that we were very thoughtful about this offseason was getting another major league catcher in terms of Victor [Caratini] and being able to fill that. ” adding. “The offensive production. we’re just going to have to fill it with multiple people because Ryan has been so good.”.
Boston’s own momentum shows up in the infield. First baseman Willson Contreras has a five-game hitting streak, going 9 for 20 in that span.
Pitching details sharpen the picture further. Tristan Gray went 0-1 against Tolle. Meanwhile, Prielipp has not faced any Boston batters.
Prielipp is 25 and making his sixth start. He’s coming off that 2-1 loss to the Brewers—one where his strikeout total looked promising even as the outcome didn’t.
With Jeffers sidelined and Duran swinging hot. the game’s stakes feel obvious from the lineups alone: Boston is trying to turn its recent offensive bursts into early separation. while Minnesota is trying to keep production moving even without a catcher who had been central to the middle of the lineup.
When the first pitch arrives, it won’t just be a battle of left-handers—it’ll be a test of who can carry their rhythm into the deepest parts of the night.
Twins Red Sox Connor Prielipp Payton Tolle Jarren Duran Willson Contreras Ryan Jeffers left hamate bone fracture NESN WEEI-FM 93.7
Why do they keep saying left-handed like it matters that much lol
Wait Ryan Jeffers is out for 6 to 8 weeks?? That’s brutal. Twins offense is gonna be struggling if their catcher is hurt, like who’s even calling pitches now?
The article says the twins will be without their catcher but then talks about lefty pitchers?? I’m confused, aren’t catchers usually left-handed or right-handed too. Also Duran is “7 for 19” which sounds mediocre to me… but apparently he’s rolling? Idk
Fenway at 7:10 and “coverage under NESN and WEEI-FM 93.7” like I’m supposed to know which one is better. Also Tolle is 2-2 with 2.05 ERA, okay cool… but I swear Red Sox always somehow blow it when the lineup looks right. Duran being on a streak is nice though, maybe that saves them.