This weekend’s three-game set with the Kansas City Royals is all that stands between the Red Sox and the All-Star break.

It will be no easy feat dispatching the visiting Royals, who are 51-43 and in a similar situation to that of their hosts. Both teams are third in their respective American League divisions; over the last two weeks, the Red Sox have overtaken the Royals for the third AL Wild Card, but only hold a one-game lead over their guests.

In need of a starter for Friday night’s series opener, the Red Sox recalled Cooper Criswell from Triple-A and optioned fellow righty Trey Wingenter.

Criswell last pitched for Boston on June 15. In his last start for the WooSox, he pitched six innings of one-hit ball with eight strikeouts, and earned International League Pitcher of the Week honors for July 1-7.

Over 12 games (11 starts) since his Red Sox debut on April 13, Criswell owns a 4.15 ERA – skewed by one seven earned-run shelling by the Orioles in late May – and 3.71 FIP. He’s gone at least five innings in five of his 11 starts, and allowed no more than three earned runs in 11 of 12 outings. The Red Sox are 8-4 in his games.

With left-hander Cole Ragans on the mound, Alex Cora is making a rare change to the top of the lineup. Leadoff man Jarren Duran, who has started all 92 of Boston’s games thus far, will bat second for just the third time this year (he also batted eighth once), and Rob Refsnyder will bat first for the fourth time.

The idea behind slotting Refsnyder above Duran is to mitigate the lefty-heavy lineup’s struggles against southpaws: left-handed Boston batters are hitting .219 with a .617 OPS against lefties, compared to .272 with a .827 OPS against righties. Refsnyder is 21-for-68 (.309) with a .934 OPS, eight doubles, a triple, and a home run in 45 games against all lefties this season; however, he’s only hitting .197 with a .675 OPS against lefty starters.

Red Sox lineup (July 12)

Rob Refsnyder RF

Jarren Duran LF

Tyler O’Neill DH

Rafael Devers 3B

Connor Wong C

Romy Gonzalez 1B

Jamie Westbrook 2B

Ceddanne Rafaela CF

David Hamilton SS

Royals lineup (July 12)

Adam Frazier DH

Bobby Witt Jr. SS

Vinnie Pasquantino 1B

Salvador Perez C

Michael Massey

Hunter Renfroe RF

MJ Melendez LF

Maikel Garcia 3B

Kyle Isbel CF

Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox vs. Royals (July 12)

RHP Cooper Criswell vs. LHP Cole Ragans

How to watch Red Sox vs. Royals (July 12)

When: 7:10 p.m. ET

Where: Fenway Park

TV (Blackout restrictions may apply): NESN, Bally Sports Kansas City

Red Sox radio: WEEI 93.7 FM, WCCM 1490 AM (Spanish)

Royals radio: KCSP 610