Jake Bennett returns for Red Sox, aiming to stabilize Boston’s stretch in the Blue Jays series

The Boston Red Sox entered their Blue Jays series after a brief lift, but the opener did not go their way. After a series win over the Texas Rangers over the weekend, Boston lost to Toronto in the first game of the set, leaving the club with an American League East record that has kept the team searching for consistency. With the middle game underway, the Red Sox turned to left-hander Jake Bennett, who is making his fourth big-league start.

Bennett’s most recent prior outing came against the Tampa Bay Rays, a start in which he allowed four earned runs over five innings. That performance did not derail his opportunity to keep moving through Boston’s rotation, but it underscored the thin margin the Red Sox are working with while they try to find reliable innings from their developing arms. Against that backdrop, a second and third trip through an order becomes even more important for a starter trying to establish rhythm and command.

The Red Sox have been assessed as a team still building out its AL East identity, and their current mark within the division reflects that. Entering the middle game, Boston is listed at 6-15 against American League East opponents. That context matters because the remainder of the season will not simply be about individual games, it will be about collecting enough division wins to keep the playoff picture within reach. For Bennett, this start is not just another line in the rotation, it is a chance to contribute during games that can define where a club ends up by summer’s end.

In the series opener, Boston’s loss created additional pressure for the rest of the set, especially with Toronto offering a familiar measuring stick within the same division. The Red Sox will be watching whether Bennett can reduce the damage that tends to show up in early swings of a game, limiting earned runs and keeping the bullpen from being pushed too hard across multiple innings. Even when a starter is not going deep, the ability to stop scoring at its source changes the tempo of the matchup.

Bennett’s role in the middle game also carries a development component. Making a fourth start in a season often becomes a pivot point where teams look for signs of adjustment, such as better sequencing against hitters and more confidence in pitches at key counts. The left-handed angle can be useful within a lineup that may feature both right-handed power and left-handed bats, but the matchup is ultimately earned by effectiveness, not handedness alone.

What to watch next is straightforward. First, can Bennett turn the early innings into something more than survival, turning five innings into a platform rather than a setback. Second, can Boston’s offense respond with a steady approach rather than chasing innings late. And third, how the Red Sox manage the rest of the bullpen if Bennett’s pitch count forces a quicker exit. The middle game sets the tone for the series, and given Boston’s division record, every win against an AL East opponent strengthens the club’s path forward.

For now, the Red Sox have placed their immediate hope on Bennett to deliver improved run prevention in his fourth start, a decision that reflects both necessity and opportunity. Whether it becomes a turning point for their pitching staff, or another reminder of how hard it has been to separate in the division, will become clear as the game unfolds.