Red Sox-Mariners lineups, preview for August 31, 2026

After dropping three of four to the Yankees in New York, the Red Sox will be back in action Monday night when they return to Fenway Park to open a three-game series with the Mariners.

They will be looking to bounce back after getting blown out, 16-1, in Sunday’s series finale. There was some good news in the loss though, as Roman Anthony and Trevor Story were activated and returned to the lineup. Anthony went 2-for-4, including a ground-rule double. Story was 2-for-3, including a double in the top of the eighth.

The Sox will be without first baseman Willson Contreras, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Mickey Gasper was recalled from Worcester and is batting second.

The Mariners are also struggling, having dropped four in a row to fall five games out of the final wild-card spot and first place in the AL West.

The Red Sox will go with lefthander Payton Tolle for the opener, while the Mariners will counter with righthander George Kirby.

Here is a preview.

MARINERS (64-73): Arozarena LF, Canzone DH, Rodriguez CF, Raleigh C, Naylor 1B, Ward RF, Young 2B, Wilson 3B, Crawford SS.

Pitching: RHP George Kirby (9-10, 4.02 ERA)

RED SOX (74-63): Anthony DH, Gasper 1B, Rafaela CF, Abreu RF, Sogard 2B, Durbin 3B, Duran LF, Story SS, Wong C.

Pitching: LHP Payton Tolle (8-6, 3.09 ERA)

Time: 6:45 p.m.

TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

Mariners vs. Tolle: Dominic Canzone 1-3, J.P. Crawford 1-3, Josh Naylor 0-2, Cal Raleigh 0-3, Victor Robles 0-3, Julio Rodríguez 1-2, Taylor Ward 2-5, Weston Wilson 1-2, Cole Young 1-2

Red Sox vs. Kirby: Wilyer Abreu 0-3, Willson Contreras 1-3, Jarren Duran 3-10, Ceddanne Rafaela 2-5, Adley Rutschman 4-22, Trevor Story 2-8, Connor Wong 0-5

Stat of the day: The Red Sox have lost four of their last five games and were limited to three runs in the four losses.

Notes: Tolle has faced the Mariners once, allowing three runs on six hits in a 3-1 loss on June 21. … He is 4-0 in his last nine starts and took a no-decision his last time out, Tuesday’s 7-3 win over the Marlins in 11 innings in which he allowed two runs on four hits in 5 ⅓ innings. … The Mariners have been outscored 25-4 during their four-game losing streak. They were held to one hit — Cal Raleigh’s double with two outs in the fourth inning — in Sunday’s 7-0 loss to the Blue Jays. … Kirby is 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA in six starts against the Red Sox. He struck out nine and allowed one run in 7⅔ innings his last time out, a 4-1 victory over the Phillies on Tuesday.

Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.