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Boston has been one of the hottest teams in baseball over the past month, and they’re carrying that momentum into Dodger Stadium against the team with the best record in the majors. The Red Sox have rattled off four consecutive wins and gone 7-3 over their last ten games, a run that has made them a genuine threat in the American League wild card race. Against a Dodgers club that has dropped two straight, the timing feels significant.

Los Angeles still owns the NL West by a comfortable margin, but a two-game skid at home against a surging opponent sharpens the focus. Max Muncy, with 21 home runs and 49 RBI, anchors a lineup that has the depth to break out at any moment. For Boston, Willson Contreras — listed as day-to-day — has been a force all season with 23 home runs and 67 RBI, and his availability will matter. Caleb Durbin has quietly built a productive season with 10 home runs, 44 RBI, and 12 stolen bases, giving the Red Sox a versatile threat in the middle of the order.

The pitching matchup adds another layer. Jake Bennett takes the ball for Boston with a 2.74 ERA and a 6-4 record, facing a Dodgers lineup that will be looking to respond after consecutive losses.

Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Dodgers Game Information

Game Date: August 02, 2026
Game Time: 07:20 PM ET
TV Channel: MLB.TV – Boston Red Sox and NBC Universo – East
Location: UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Live Stream: Fubo (free trial)

Game Preview

Boston sits six games back in the wild card picture, and every win against a team of Los Angeles’s caliber carries extra weight — both for the standings and for the confidence of a club that has been playing its best baseball in weeks. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are protecting the best record in baseball and cannot afford to let a struggling stretch deepen. A third consecutive loss at home to an AL opponent would be a notable stumble for a team built to go deep into October. The stakes are real on both sides.

Los Angeles Dodgers Team Statistics and Rankings

Win-Loss Record: 69-42
Home Record: 33-22
Away Record: 36-20
Division Record: 7-5
Streak: 2 Loss streak
Winning Percentage: .622

Boston Red Sox Team Statistics and Rankings

Win-Loss Record: 59-51
Home Record: 25-29
Away Record: 34-22
Division Record: 14-8
Streak: 4 Win streak
Winning Percentage: .536

Stat Leaders

Los Angeles Dodgers (69-42, #1 in division)

Batting Average Leader: Enrique Hernández, 0.417
RBI Leader: Andy Pages, 71 RBI
Home Run Leader: Shohei Ohtani, 24 HR
Runs Leader: Shohei Ohtani, 70 Runs
Hits Leader: Freddie Freeman, 127 Hits
Stolen Bases Leader: Andy Pages, 10 SB
ERA Leader: Shohei Ohtani, 1.79 ERA
Strikeout Leader: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 121 K
Wins Leader: Justin Wrobleski, 11 W
Saves Leader: Tanner Scott, 16 SV

Boston Red Sox (59-51, #3 in division)

Batting Average Leader: Jahmai Jones, 0.385
RBI Leader: Willson Contreras, 67 RBI
Home Run Leader: Willson Contreras, 23 HR
Runs Leader: Wilyer Abreu, 55 Runs
Hits Leader: Ceddanne Rafaela, 118 Hits
Stolen Bases Leader: Ceddanne Rafaela, 15 SB
ERA Leader: Aroldis Chapman, 1.67 ERA
Strikeout Leader: Payton Tolle, 110 K
Wins Leader: Sonny Gray, 13 W
Saves Leader: Aroldis Chapman, 27 SV

What to Watch For

Jake Bennett against Emmet Sheehan is a matchup that favors the visitor on paper. Bennett has been one of Boston’s steadiest arms, posting a 2.74 ERA across a 6-4 record, while Sheehan carries a 4.95 ERA and a 4-7 mark into the start. Sheehan does have 104 strikeouts, so the swing-and-miss ability is genuine, but his results have been inconsistent, and a Red Sox lineup in this kind of form will test him early.

On the Dodger side, Enrique Hernández is hitting .417 and represents the kind of hot bat that can single-handedly change a game’s complexion. Kyle Tucker has driven in 51 runs and scored 58, making him one of the more complete threats in the lineup. For Boston, Ceddanne Rafaela brings both contact and speed — 118 hits and 15 stolen bases — while Jarren Duran has matched that stolen base total and added 13 home runs and 56 RBI despite a .199 average that understates his overall impact.

Aroldis Chapman looms over any late-inning situation for Boston. His 1.67 ERA and 27 saves make him one of the most reliable closers in the league, and if the Red Sox carry a lead into the eighth, the Dodgers will need to do their damage early.

Los Angeles Dodgers Injury Report

Ben Casparius – Shoulder (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred RHP Ben Casparius to the 60-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.
Blake Snell – Elbow (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers placed LHP Blake Snell on the 60-day injured list due to loose bodies in his left elbow.
Will Smith – Neck (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred C Will Smith to the 60-day injured list with a neck inflammation.
Brock Stewart – Shoulder (D15) – The Los Angeles Dodgers placed RHP Brock on the 15-day injured list due to shoulder injury.
Brusdar Graterol – Shoulder (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred RHP Brusdar Graterol from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list as he recovers from right shoulder surgery.
Bobby Miller – Shoulder (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers placed RHP Bobby Miller on the 60-day injured list with right shoulder soreness.
Tyler Glasnow – Back (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred RHP Tyler Glasnow from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list with low back spasms.
Blake Treinen – Elbow (D15) – The Los Angeles Dodgers placed RHP Blake Treinen on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation.
Gavin Stone – Shoulder (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred RHP Gavin Stone from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.
Jake Cousins – Elbow (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred RHP Jake Cousins from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list due to recovery from Tommy John surgery (UCL reconstruction) on his right elbow.
Will Klein – Elbow (D15) – The Los Angeles Dodgers placed RHP Will Klein on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow discomfort.

Boston Red Sox Injury Report

Zack Kelly – Elbow (D60) – The Boston Red Sox placed RHP Zack Kelly on the 60-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
Tanner Houck – Elbow (D60) – The Boston Red Sox placed RHP Tanner Houck on the 60-day injured list due to a right flexor pronator strain.
Curtis Mead – Hand (D10) – The Boston Red Sox placed INF Curtis Mead on the 10-day injured list due to left wrist fracture.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa – Forearm (D10) – The Boston Red Sox placed INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa on the 10-day injured list with left forearm inflammation.
Triston Casas – Knee (D60) – The Boston Red Sox transferred INF Triston Casas from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list as he recovers from left patellar tendon repair.
Garrett Crochet – Shoulder (D60) – The Boston Red Sox transferred LHP Garrett Crochet to the 60-day injured list from the 15-day injured list with a left shoulder inflammation.
Willson Contreras – Head (Day-to-Day) – Contreras is not in Saturday’s (Aug. 1) game against the Dodgers for being hit by a pitch.
Johan Oviedo – Elbow (D60) – The Boston Red Sox transferred RHP Johan Oviedo to the 60-day injured list due to a right elbow strain.
Kutter Crawford – Wrist (D60) – The Boston Red Sox transferred RHP Kutter Crawford from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list as he recovers from right wrist surgery.
Roman Anthony – Wrist (D60) – The Boston Red Sox transferred OF Roman Anthony from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list due to right wrist sprain.
Trevor Story – Abdomen (D60) – The Boston Red Sox transferred INF Trevor Story from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list due to sports hernia.
Marcelo Mayer – Forearm (D10) – The Boston Red Sox placed INF Marcelo Mayer on the 10-day injured list with a stress reaction on his left forearm.

Los Angeles Dodgers Upcoming 2026 Schedule

August 02, 2026 vs Boston Red Sox
August 03, 2026 at Chicago Cubs
August 04, 2026 at Chicago Cubs
August 05, 2026 at Chicago Cubs
August 07, 2026 at Arizona Diamondbacks
August 08, 2026 at Arizona Diamondbacks
August 09, 2026 at Arizona Diamondbacks
August 10, 2026 vs Kansas City Royals
August 11, 2026 vs Kansas City Royals
August 12, 2026 vs Kansas City Royals

Boston Red Sox Upcoming 2026 Schedule

August 02, 2026 at Los Angeles Dodgers
August 04, 2026 vs Chicago White Sox
August 05, 2026 vs Chicago White Sox
August 06, 2026 vs Chicago White Sox
August 07, 2026 vs Athletics
August 08, 2026 vs Athletics
August 09, 2026 vs Athletics
August 10, 2026 at Toronto Blue Jays
August 11, 2026 at Toronto Blue Jays
August 12, 2026 at Toronto Blue Jays

Our game previews are produced programmatically using real-time data via Sportradar and AI writing tools. Articles are regularly reviewed for accuracy before publication.