The Boston Red Sox are kicking off a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves Friday night, but two of their biggest names will be watching from the dugout.

Shortstop Trevor Story and designated hitter Masataka Yoshida—both among the team's highest-paid position players—are getting the night off as the Sox face Braves right-hander Spencer Strider at Truist Park. It's a tough matchup for any lineup, and Boston's interim manager Chad Tracy is opting for a different look.

Andruw Monasterio will start at shortstop in place of Story, batting seventh. Mickey Gasper takes over as the designated hitter, hitting second, while Ceddanne Rafaela slides into the No. 5 spot. Carlos Narváez is behind the plate catching rookie lefty Connelly Early.

This isn't a one-off rest day for Story. Since Tracy took over as interim manager in late April, the veteran shortstop has been given a series of scheduled days off. Friday marks another, even after Story went 3-for-10 with a home run and two strikeouts in three games against the Phillies. It's the fifth start of the season at shortstop for Monasterio.

For Yoshida, the decision comes amid a cold spell. He's hitting just .133 (2-for-15) with a .411 OPS over his last six games. Tracy is going with the hot hand instead, as Gasper has been impressive since being recalled last week, going 5-for-12 with two doubles in four games.

On the mound, all eyes will be on Early. The southpaw has been dealing lately, tossing seven shutout innings against Tampa Bay last Friday. That performance lowered his ERA to 3.16 through eight starts, with opponents hitting just .211 off him. He'll need to be sharp against a Braves lineup that leads the league in wins.

Game time is set for 7:20 p.m. ET at Truist Park.