The Boston Red Sox will once again play Major League Baseball in 2026, which is a lot more exciting to fans at this point in the calendar year than it has been for the last few seasons.

With Boston chasing down a playoff spot this year and a young core of talented players on both sides of the ball, the sky is the limit for the Red Sox next season and for several years beyond. But as we’ve seen this year, there are bound to be curveballs brought about in part by the way the schedule is constructed.

So which matchups and extended stretches should fans have circled? Here are the top five storylines as we see it:

It always matters how you start a season, as the Red Sox best demonstrated with their 0-6 start when they had World Series goals in 2011. And next year, Boston’s very first games will be against an old friend.

The Sox will travel to Cincinnati for three games from March 26-29 to take on ex-Boston manager and the Cincinnati Reds. In July, the Red Sox took two of three games from the Reds at Fenway Park, so Francona will be looking to even the score.

4. No Yankees games in September

There’s always a reason to circle the dates on the calendar when the Red Sox face off with the New York Yankees, and as usual, the teams will play 13 games against each other. But if the rivalry is heated in 2026, it won’t come with last-minute playoff implications.

Boston hosts the Yankees from April 21-23 and June 25-28. They’ll travel to Yankee Stadium June 5-7 and Aug. 28-30. Notably, after back-to-back years of playing seven road games to six home games against the Yankees, that total will be flip-flopped next season.

Apr 21, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler (0) delivers a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

One of the annual highlights of the Red Sox schedule is the early 11 a.m. start time on the third Monday in April, juxtaposed against the running of the Boston Marathon. And next season, the Sox will take on one of this year’s top American League contenders on Patriots’ Day.

The Detroit Tigers, who hold the AL’s best current record at 78-55 entering play on Tuesday, will come to Boston for a four-game set from April 17-20, concluding with that early start on Patriots’ Day.

2. One heck of a road trip before All-Star break

Every season has at least one memorably long road trip, and sometimes, that trip can tell you a lot about who your team is going to be. An emotionally-charged nine-game West Coast road trip earlier this season saw the Red Sox go 3-6. Next year, they’ll have a similar trip that spans the entire country.

From July 3-12, the Red Sox will play three games each against the Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox, and New York Mets, all on the road. It’s not a Murderers’ Row of opponents based on current records, but it’s a heck of a travel itinerary, and it takes place immediately before the All-Star break, so it could have a big impact on the vibe of the team.

Aug 18, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (16) makes the throw to first base for an out during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images / David Frerker-Imagn Images

This is the most intriguing singular series on the calendar from a drama standpoint. The San Francisco Giants, who took Rafael Devers and his entire $250 million-plus contract off the Red Sox’s hands in June, will travel to Fenway Park for a showdown Aug. 21-23.

How will Devers be received? Some of that probably has to do with the state of the two teams heading into the matchup, as San Francisco has been one of the worst teams in the sport since the trade, but in general, fans’ emotions toward their former star are an eclectic mix.

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