CINCINNATI -- Red Sox manager John Farrell missed Boston's July 1 game in Toronto for good reason.

He flew to Kansas City to watch his son Luke Farrell make his major league debut.

John might see Luke pitch again this weekend. This time though, he'll be managing from the opposite dugout.

Luke now pitches for the Reds. The Red Sox play three games at Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park today, Saturday and Sunday.

John's 26-year-old son has made five relief appearances (7 innings) and given up three runs, five hits and five walks while striking out five out of Cincy's bullpen.

"It'd be really cool. I don't know how many times something like that has happened in baseball history," Luke told cincinnati.com about facing his dad. "For me, my Dad has never been able to coach me growing up or playing in high school. To pitch against him from across the field while he's coaching and I'm playing, especially at this level, would be a really cool thing."

The Dodgers purchased Luke's contract July 28. The Reds selected him off waivers from the Dodgers on Aug. 9.

Luke also overcame serious medical issues like his dad who beat lymphoma in 2015.

Luke underwent two surgeries to remove a large tumor in his neck when John was the Red Sox pitching coach. The first surgery was unsuccessful after 8 1/2 hours because the tumor pressed up against the carotid artery making it difficult to reach, according to a 2010 ESPN.com feature article.

He pitched in the Cape Cod League for the Wareham Gatemen:

Luke was born in Ohio. He's a native of Westlake, a suburb of Cleveland.

The Royals drafted the 6-foot-6, 210-pound righty in the sixth round out Northwestern in 2013.