Tigers and Red Sox Clash in Weekend Series

Pitchers Framber Valdez and Garrett Crochet set to take the mound in Sunday's matchup.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 2:33pm

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting breaking down a baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox into sharp, overlapping geometric planes of vibrant orange, red, and navy blue.The Tigers and Red Sox battle it out on the diamond in a cubist-inspired illustration capturing the dynamic energy of their weekend series.Boston Today

The Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox are set to continue their four-game weekend series on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park. The game was pushed back three hours to a 4:35 p.m. first pitch due to a forecast for rain in Boston. Detroit will send lefthander Framber Valdez to the mound, while the Red Sox will counter with southpaw Garrett Crochet.

Why it matters

This series is an important early-season matchup between two American League teams looking to establish themselves in the standings. The Red Sox have struggled out of the gate, going just 8-12 so far, while the Tigers have had a more respectable 11-10 start. A strong performance in this series could help either team build momentum as the season progresses.

The details

Valdez has faced the Red Sox six times in his career, going 3-2 with a 3.10 ERA. Crochet has made nine career appearances against the Tigers, including two starts in 2024, posting a 1.80 ERA. Both teams will be looking to their starting pitchers to set the tone and give their offenses a chance to break through against the opposing hurler.

  • The game was pushed back three hours to a 4:35 p.m. first pitch due to a forecast for rain in Boston.
  • This is the third game of a four-game series that culminates on Monday for the annual Patriots' Day 11 a.m. first pitch.

The players

Framber Valdez

A left-handed pitcher for the Detroit Tigers who has faced the Red Sox six times in his career, going 3-2 with a 3.10 ERA.

Garrett Crochet

A left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox who has made nine career appearances against the Tigers, including two starts in 2024, posting a 1.80 ERA.

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What they’re saying

“You have to chip away with aces. You have to make sure when you have your chances to cash in, get it close enough.”

— Alex Cora, Red Sox Manager

“I don't think any of us are too concerned about our road record (3-9). Obviously, it needs to get better and needs to improve. We need to win games on the road, but it's such a small sample size. We're just trying to win every single day we show up to the yard.”

— Tarik Skubal, Tigers Pitcher

What’s next

The series will conclude on Monday with the annual Patriots' Day 11 a.m. first pitch.

The takeaway

This weekend series between the Tigers and Red Sox represents an important early-season matchup as both teams look to gain ground in the standings. With the pitching matchup of Valdez and Crochet, the outcome could come down to which team's offense is able to capitalize on their scoring opportunities.