Red Sox lineup has no Trevor Story, no Masataka Yoshida vs. tough righty Friday night

ATLANTA — As the Red Sox open a three-game series against the Braves on Friday, two of their highest-paid position players are on the bench.

Andruw Monasterio is starting at shortstop over Trevor Story and Mickey Gasper, not Masataka Yoshida, is the designated hitter against Atlanta righty Spencer Strider. Gasper will hit second with Ceddanne Rafaela in the No. 5 spot and Monasterio is hitting seventh. Carlos Narváez catching rookie Connelly Early.

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Interim manager Chad Tracy has given Story a series of days off since taking over in late April and Friday will be another after the shortstop went 3-for-10 with a homer and two strikeouts in three games against the Phillies. It’s Monasterio’s fifth start of the year at short.

Yoshida has hit .133 (2-for-15) with a .411 OPS in a six-game sample and Tracy likes having Gasper’s bat in the order. Gasper is 5-for-12 with two doubles in four games since being recalled last week.

On the mound, Early will look to continue a strong stretch. With seven shutout innings last Friday against Tampa Bay, the southpaw lowered his ERA to 3.16 through eight starts. Opponents are hitting just .211 off him.

First pitch is at 7:15 p.m. ET.

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BOSTON RED SOX (18-25) vs. ATLANTA BRAVES (30-14) · TRUIST PARK · ATLANTA, GA · GAME 44

FIRST PITCH: 7:15 p.m.

TV CHANNEL: NESN

RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM

PITCHING PROBABLES: LHP Connelly Early (3-2, 3.16 ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Strider (1-0, 2.89 ERA)

RED SOX LINEUP:

1. Jarren Duran LF
2. Mickey Gasper DH
3. Wilyer Abreu RF
4. Willson Contreras 1B
5. Ceddanne Rafaela CF
6. Marcelo Mayer 2B
7. Andruw Monasterio SS
8. Carlos Narváez C
9. Caleb Durbin 3B

BRAVES LINEUP:

1. Mauricio Dubón LF
2. Drake Baldwin DH
3. Ozzie Albies 2B
4. Matt Olson 1B
5. Austin Riley 3B
6. Michael Harris II CF
7. Ha-Seong Kim SS
8. Sandy León C
9. José Azócar RF

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