Red Sox won’t face Tarik Skubal (scratched) Monday — and struggling infielder out of lineup, too
· Yahoo Sports
DETROIT — The Red Sox caught a massive break as they arrived in Detroit on Monday, with the Tigers scratching reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal just hours before he was supposed to face Boston.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters that Skubal has loose bodies in his elbow and will require arthroscopic surgery. Instead of Skubal, the Tigers will use left-handed reliever Tyler Holton as an opener; righty Ty Madden was called up to provide length out of the bullpen.
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With Skubal out of the picture, interim Red Sox manager Chad Tracy is using a balanced lineup. Trevor Story, who didn’t play in Sunday’s loss, is back as the shortstop. He’s hitting cleanup ahead of right fielder Wilyer Abreu.
The one notable change in Boston’s lineup is at third base, where Andruw Monasterio is starting over Caleb Durbin. It’s the second start of the season at third base for Monasterio, who also played there on March 31 in Cincinnati. He has played third base (679 innings) more than any other position in the majors.
“Just give him a break, that’s all,” Tracy said of Durbin. “Mona and guys like him are in and out, so I gave him one (start) yesterday. To be able to pop him back in there today and give him another one and give Durb a break, that’s all it was.”
Durbin, who is hitting .165 with a .502 OPS in 122 plate appearances this season, is out of the lineup for the fourth time in 35 games and the first time since April 15. Masataka Yoshida is once again the odd man out of the outfield/designated hitter mix with Jarren Duran at DH and Roman Anthony in left field.
On the mound for the Red Sox is lefty Payton Tolle, making his third start of 2026. Skubal, who has a 2.70 ERA and 45 strikeouts in seven starts this year, struck out 10 Boston batters in six strong innings at Fenway Park on April 18. Holton has a 5.27 ERA in 14 games this year. He also started Sunday for the Tigers and recorded two outs on 17 pitches.
The scratch of Skubal is not the only late change, either. First pitch was moved up to 6:10 p.m. ET — 30 minutes before the original first pitch time of 6:40 p.m. ET — due to “forecasted precipitation in the area.”
The Red Sox and Tigers split a four-game series at Fenway last month.
BOSTON RED SOX (13-21) vs. DETROIT TIGERS (18-17) · COMERICA PARK · DETROIT, MI · GAME 35
FIRST PITCH: 6:10 p.m. ET
TV CHANNEL: NESN
RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM
PITCHING PROBABLES: LHP Payton Tolle (0-1, 3.38 ERA) vs. LHP Tyler Holton (0-1, 5.27 ERA)
RED SOX LINEUP:
- Jarren Duran DH
- Willson Contreras 1B
- Roman Anthony LF
- Trevor Story SS
- Wilyer Abreu RF
- Ceddanne Rafaela CF
- Marcelo Mayer 2B
- Carlos Narváez C
- Andruw Monasterio 3B
TIGERS LINEUP:
- Jahmai Jones DH
- Matt Vierling CF
- Dillon Dingler C
- Riley Greene LF
- Spencer Torkelson 1B
- Wenceel Pérez RF
- Hao-Yu Lee 2B
- Colt Keith 3B
- Zack Short SS
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- Red Sox-Tigers game time moved up 30 minutes Monday due to rainy forecast
- John Sterling, ‘The Voice of the Yankees,’ dies at 87
- Red Sox promote hard-throwing pitching prospect (34 Ks in 20.1 innings) to Double-A
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