<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1we076_0vmScyCO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1we076_0vmScyCO00" width="1280" height="823" ><figcaption>The Red Sox have little to play for this weekend with a playoff berth out of the question. With that in mind, Alex Cora plans on managing differently. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) AP</figcaption></figure>BOSTON — Red Sox manager Alex Cora acknowledged he had a “very different” feeling driving to the ballpark on Friday — and for good reason.For the first time Friday, the 2024 Red Sox will take the field with nothing to play for. <a href="https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2024/09/officially-eliminated-red-sox-face-reality-of-another-year-out-of-playoffs-sean-mcadam.html">After being eliminated from playoff contention Wednesday</a>, they’re simply playing out the string with three games to go against the Rays at Fenway Park. That doesn’t mean Boston won’t try to win against Tampa Bay. But it does mean Cora doesn’t plan on managing as aggressively as he has for the last few weeks while his club’s postseason hopes were alive.“It feels a lot different,” Cora said. “We’ve done this well the last two years, but we’re going to show up these three days and we’re gonna play hard.“We’re going to play a lot of people. I just told them, ‘If you’re banged up, let me know. My job is a manager is to keep you healthy so you finish the season to attack the offseason. There’s gonna be three different lineups, pinch-hitting here and there. We’re going to try to win the game and win the series, because that’s what we’re supposed to do. But it’s different. Very different.”<a href="https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2024/09/craig-breslow-on-24-red-sox-progress-made-but-ultimately-disappointing.html">The Red Sox have already clinched a better record than they’ve had in the last two years (78-84)</a>. With two wins against the Rays, they’ll finish with their first winning record since 2021. Also at stake is the matter of place in the American League East. Boston currently leads Tampa Bay by two games for fourth place. The Blue Jays have wrapped up a last-place finish.Behind righty Nick Pivetta — a pending free agent who is potentially making his final start in a Red Sox uniform Friday night — Cora will hit shortstop Trevor Story second and first baseman Triston Casas third. Vaughn Grissom is at second base and Nick Sogard is at third base against righty Taj Bradley. Tyler O’Neill and Romy Gonzalez are on the bench for Boston.First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. ET.TAMPA BAY RAYS (78-81) @ BOSTON RED SOX (80-79) · FENWAY PARK · BOSTON, MA · GAME 160FIRST PITCH: 7:10 p.m. ETTV CHANNEL: NESNLIVE STREAM: <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/welcome/leagues/191273?irmp=1810038&amp;irad=377812&amp;sharedid=MLB_Boston_Red_Sox_at_Baltimore_Orioles">fuboTV</a> - If you have cable and live in the New England TV market, you can use your login credentials to watch via NESN on mobile and WiFi-enabled devices. If you don’t have cable, you can watch the game via <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/welcome/leagues/191273?irmp=1810038&amp;irad=377812&amp;sharedid=MLB_Boston_Red_Sox_at_Baltimore_Orioles">fuboTV</a>, in New England | <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587340&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fnesn.com%2Fwatch%2F">Watch NESN</a>RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FMPITCHING PROBABLES: RHP Nick Pivetta (6-11, 4.21 ERA) vs. RHP Taj Bradley (7-11, 4.30 ERA)RED SOX LINEUP:1. LF Jarren Duran2. SS Trevor Story3. 1B Triston Casas4. C Connor Wong5. DH Masataka Yoshida6. 2B Vaughn Grissom7. RF Wilyer Abreu8. 3B Nick Sogard9. CF Ceddanne RafaelaRAYS LINEUP:1. 1B Yandy Díaz2. DH Brandon Lowe3. 3B Junior Caminero4. 2B Jonathan Aranda5. CF Jonny DeLuca6. RF Josh Lowe7. LF Richie Palacios8. SS Jose Caballero9. C Logan Driscoll</div></body>

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Alex Cora: Red Sox ‘will play a lot of people’ in meaningless final series

BOSTON — Red Sox manager Alex Cora acknowledged he had a “very different” feeling driving to the ballpark on Friday — and for good reason. For the first time Friday, the 2024 Red Sox will take the field with nothing to play for. After being eliminated from playoff contention Wednesday, they’re simply playing out the string with three games to go against the Rays at Fenway Park. That doesn’t mean Boston won’t try to win against Tampa Bay. But it does mean Cora doesn’t plan on managing as aggressively as he has for the last few weeks while his club’s postseason hopes were alive.

Alex Cora: Red Sox ‘will play a lot of people’ in meaningless final series

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