Red Sox: 3 players to watch this weekend against the Miami Marlins

BOSTON, MA - MAY 26: Rafael Devers #11 high fives Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox after they both score in the sixth inning off a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park on May 26, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 26: Rafael Devers #11 high fives Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox after they both score in the sixth inning off a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park on May 26, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
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Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts
BOSTON, MA – MAY 16: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the second inning of a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on May 16, 2021 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Previewing Red Sox v. Marlins

This weekend is going to be tricky since the weather is supposed to be pretty nasty in Boston. The Red Sox are going into the final chapter of this homestand ready to take three games and get back on top of the division. There haven’t been many hiccups this season for this club and I think we’d all like to keep it that way. They don’t have to sweep every series, hell they don’t have to win every series, but as long as they take more than they give, October will be back at Fenway.

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Boston will trot out Martín Pérez, Nathan Eovaldi, and Eduardo Rodriguez to battle Cody Poteet, Trevor Rogers, and Sandy Alcantara. The key for the Red Sox will be getting runners on base and doing it early. They also need to take advantage of every chance they get to beat up on the opposing pitchers. They haven’t been the best at getting runners across home when they have the opportunity and that has to change.

The Marlins are a sneaky dangerous team and can make things hurt quickly for Boston if the pitching is off the mark even in the slightest. They may be in third place in their division but the NL East can flip on a moment’s notice. They aren’t the Marlins of years past that was a pushover on a way to a win. They’ll be coming into Fenway ready to put up a fight and will want to take as many games from the Sox as they can.

I know it’s still May but this will be a big series for the Red Sox and they need to take the series if they want to keep pace with the Rays and Yankees. Both clubs are getting white-hot and will jump at every chance the Red Sox give them to take over the division. Slipping up this weekend against Miami could open the door enough for their rivals to take control and Boston can’t let that happen. If the three players I spotlighted here show up and do their jobs that won’t be the case and we could see the Sox back on top.

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