Red Sox Wild Card Updates: Alex Bregman, Jarren Duran, And More

The Boston Red Sox are just a few hours away from facing off against its biggest rival in the New York Yankees on the road at Yankee Stadium.

Boston will send Garrett Crochet to the mound hoping to take the first game of a three-game series against New York. The Yankees are expected to counter will fellow lefty Max Fried. The Red Sox and Yankees duked it out in free agency for Fried last offseason with the Yankees coming out on top. Then, the Red Sox pivoted to acquiring Crochet from the Chicago White Sox.

On Tuesday morning, the Red Sox revealed their Wild Card round roster and there weren't many surprises. The biggest name not on the roster was Lucas Giolito, but that was announced on Monday.

Red Sox Announce Full 26-Man Wild Card Roster

Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

With the playoffs now here, there's been plenty of information out there. It's hard to keep up with all of the news, but that's what we're here for.

With just a few hours to go until first pitch, here are the tidbits of information out there about the Red Sox heading into Game 1.

Alex Bregman
On Monday, the Red Sox got bad news about Giolito. Shortly afterward, it was shared on social media that Bregman flew separately from the team to New York because he is dealing with an illness. While this is the case, he arrived in New York and should be good to go Tuesday.

"Alex Bregman should be good to go for Game 1 tomorrow, Craig Breslow said, but has been sick and away from the Red Sox most of the past two days," the Boston Globe's Tim Healey said. "He traveled separately from the team to New York and just came out onto the field at Yankee Stadium for the first time."

Also, WEEI's Rob Bradford shared a video of Bregman on the field.

Alex Bregman came in separately from team today because he was under the weather. Is here now. Proof. pic.twitter.com/PRYUNx1wzV
— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) September 29, 2025

Jarren Duran and the Red Sox's left-handed questions
The Red Sox have had questions all season when it comes to matching up against left-handed pitchers. It's a balancing act. The Red Sox have guys like Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida, and Nathaniel Lowe to think about. Along with righty masher Rob Refsnyder and Romy González among others. The Red Sox haven't shared the full starting lineup, but it was shared that Duran won't be sitting on Tuesday and will start in left field, also shared by Healey.

"A note on the Red Sox' Game 1 lineup: Jarren Duran will play left field, Alex Cora said," Healey said. "Duran was on the bench the last time the Sox faced Max Fried. But with left field defense important at Yankee Stadium, Cora wanted Duran out there (and wanted Duran to know)."

Connelly Early, Kyle Harrison, Payton Tolle
The young guys are all on the roster. MassLive.com's Christopher Smith shared that Early and Harrison are the likely options to start Game 3, if neccessry.

"As manager Alex Cora announced Monday, right-handed starter Lucas Giolito is not on the roster because of an elbow injury. If the best-of-three series reaches Game 3, Early or Harrison likely would start. They have combined for just six starts for Boston this year," Smith said.

Tolle made the roster as a bullpen piece. Zack Kelly also squeaked in at the end, while Chris Murphy did not make the roster.

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