CHICAGO — Alex Bregman and Roman Anthony will hit back-to-back in the Nos. 2 and 3 spots of the Red Sox lineup Friday. Boston (53-45) opens the second half here at Wrigley Field at 2:20 p.m. eastern. Righty Lucas Giolito (6-1, 3.36 ERA) will start for the Sox opposite Chicago righty Colin Rea (7-3, 3.91 ERA).

In this MLB mock trade, the Boston Red Sox send star third baseman Alex Bregman to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for ace Luis Castillo and key offensive depth, shaking up the playoff race before the 2025 trade deadline.

Since going down with his quad injury, news has surfaced that Bregman would consider signing an extension or a new contract with the Red Sox before the end of the season. The New York Post's Jon Heyman reported that "both sides wouldn't mind getting something done," though discussions haven't yet been held.