Wilyer Abreu’s return from hamstring trouble should lift Boston’s outfield defense and lineup balance. Abreu slots back in right, letting Duran and Rafaela anchor the left-center. His power and elite glove give the Red Sox a boost for a late-season playoff push, especially with Anthony’s rehab keeping the depth options solid.

Abreu’s season line (.253/.325/.486, 22 HR, 16 doubles) shows he can contribute both power and contact. Once back, Boston could push for a strong finish, with Duran, Rafaela and Abreu forming a potent trio in the outfield and providing a stability edge for fantasy owners chasing late-season value.

Boston shuffled its outfield before Monday's A's opener, moving Jarren Duran to left and Nick Sogard to right after initially testing a reversed setup. Duran leads off for the first time in a few games, while Sogard sits in the eighth spot as the lineup otherwise stays in its original order. The move was sparked by a glut of injuries in the system and Refsnyder's day-to-day status, but manager Alex Cora insisted the swap was about optimizing defense and lineup balance rather than chasing a gimmick.

The Sox leaned into Duran's elite left-field defense and Rafaela's center-field upside, with Sogard, a switch-hitter, providing flexibility against A's righty Luis Morales. The final arrangement kept the core bats in place (Bregman at 2B, Story at SS, Lowe at 1B, Yoshida at DH, Rafaela in center, Narváez catching), while the outfield roles were adjusted to maximize the team’s upside in this three-game set.

For fantasy managers, the leadoff opportunity for Duran and the defensive reliability offered by Rafaela could unlock more runs and stolen-base potential in this series. Sogard's switch-hitting and position flexibility also raise his daily-spot viability, particularly in value-based lineups where salary relief matters. The injury situation and the lineup shuffle add a wrinkle to Boston's usual approach, but the path to production remains tied to run creation and defensive playmaking.

Masataka Yoshida will lead off for Boston for the first time in his MLB career, a bold move aimed at jump-starting an offense hampered by Anthony’s oblique injury. Jarren Duran slides to the three-hole behind Story and Lowe, while Yoshida’s on-base touch is expected to set the table for the run producers ahead. The rest of the order stays fluid as Cora experiments with speed and contact to spark scoring opportunities.

Lucas Giolito vs. Brandon Pfaadt shapes a strategic matchup in Phoenix as the Red Sox chase a win to keep pace in a tight AL playoff picture. Boston sits 4.5 games back in the East and holds a wild-card edge, while Arizona looks to sap momentum. The lineup shuffle signals a late-season push, with run production prioritized over tradition.