Two teams made bold moves before the end of April, firing their managers in hopes of turning their seasons around. Now, those same two clubs are set to face off in a crucial three-game series at Fenway Park this week, as the Boston Red Sox host the Philadelphia Phillies. The Red Sox dismissed Alex Cora and most of his coaching staff on April 26, while the Phillies followed suit just two days later, parting ways with Rob Thomson. These remain the only managerial changes in baseball this season, making this matchup a fascinating case study in midseason shakeups.
"You know, I feel like we're going in the right direction now," said Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly, after Sunday's 6-0 win over the Colorado Rockies improved his team's record to 10-3 since the change. That kind of hot streak has breathed new life into a Phillies squad that looked lost earlier in the season.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, have gone 7-6 under interim manager Chad Tracy. While that's a noticeable improvement over their 10-17 record under Cora, Boston still finds itself stuck in the AL East cellar. To climb back into postseason contention, they'll need to pick up the pace significantly. The Phillies face a similar challenge—they won't win 10 of every 13 games the rest of the way, but they'll need to come close to keep October baseball in sight.
Here's a look at the pitching matchups for the series, with select games available regionally on fubo:
• RHP Andrew Painter (1-4, 6.89 ERA) vs. RHP Sonny Gray (3-1, 3.54 ERA)
• LHP Jesús Luzardo (3-3, 5.98 ERA) vs. LHP Ranger Suárez (2-2, 2.77 ERA)
• TBA (likely an opener for righty Brayan Bello, who is 2-4 with a 7.44 ERA)
Notably, Thursday's game will mark Ranger Suárez's first start against his former team. The left-hander spent the first eight years of his career in Philadelphia, so expect some extra emotion on the mound. As for the TBA spot, lefty Jovani Morán opened for Bello last time out, and given that the Phillies feature two powerful left-handed bats near the top of their lineup—Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber—Morán is likely to get the call again on Tuesday.
So, what has actually changed for these teams since their managerial changes? For the Phillies, the schedule has certainly played a role. Since the shakeup, they've faced the San Francisco Giants, Miami Marlins, Sacramento Athletics, and Colorado Rockies—four teams that are a combined 17 games under .500. Wins are never guaranteed in baseball, but the softer competition has undoubtedly helped Philadelphia build momentum.
But the biggest reason for the Phillies' turnaround has been their run prevention. Both the pitching staff and the defense have tightened up considerably, giving the offense time to find its rhythm. For a team that stumbled out of the gate, that newfound stability could be the foundation for a real comeback.