The Red Sox had three players in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game, and each one got a small slice of the showcase as the American League rolled to a 4-0 win.
Willson Contreras, Ceddanne Rafaela and Aroldis Chapman all took part in the Midsummer Classic, while Ranger Suarez was injured and Sonny Gray was left off despite an 11-1 record and a 2.54 ERA in 17 starts this season.
Contreras had the busiest night of the group. After spending Monday night in the middle of the Home Run Derby spectacle, he entered the game in the bottom of the fourth as a defensive replacement for starting first baseman Ben Rice. He handled a grounder from Ozzie Albies to open the fifth, taking it to first himself for the first out, then made a full stretch to retire Andy Pages and close the inning.
At the plate, Contreras finally got his chance in the top of the sixth against Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias. He swung through a first-pitch slider, missed again on a changeup, then reached out and poked a fastball into play.
The chopper slipped through the right side of the infield for his first All-Star Game hit since 2018. It came with two outs and nobody on, and his night ended soon after when Randy Arozarena grounded to short.
Contreras was later replaced in the field by Munetaka Murakami in the bottom of the seventh.
It was also another All-Star Game shared with his brother, Brewers catcher William Contreras, a rare moment in baseball history.
Rafaela’s night was much quieter, but it still marked what could be the first of many All-Star appearances. He replaced starting center fielder Mike Trout in the fourth inning and didn’t have to wait long for his first turn at the plate, which came in the seventh against Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski. That one was over fast: swing, strike one; called strike two; swing, strike three.
He got one more shot in the ninth with the AL up 4-0, but Phillies closer Jhoan Duran needed just one pitch to get him to ground out to second. Rafaela stayed in the field the rest of the way, though the game never gave him a chance to show off his defense.
Chapman came in for the ninth with the AL already comfortably ahead after Miguel Vargas’ solo homer in the eighth made it 4-0. His first test was Jordan Walker, Monday night’s Home Run Derby winner.
Chapman fell behind 2-1, then locked in and finished him off with two swinging strikes. He followed that by getting Matt Olson to pop up on one pitch, with shortstop Kevin McGonigle making the catch in shallow center.
Chapman didn’t get the final out, though. Blue Jays manager John Schneider lifted the nine-time All-Star for Bryan Baker, a 31-year-old Rays reliever making his first All-Star appearance. Baker allowed a single before ending the game with a groundout.
The American League jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning against hometown starter Cristopher Sanchez, with Cody Bellinger delivering a two-out, two-run single with the bases loaded and Ben Rice adding another RBI single one batter later. That was enough for Bellinger to take home the Ted Williams MVP Award after going 1-for-3.
There was also a brief injury scare for Rays star Junior Caminero, who was hit on a finger on his left hand by a Riley O’Brien fastball. X-rays were negative, according to the broadcast.
The game also included a Sandlot-themed music and light show in the middle innings, complete with sparklers, Ray Charles music and fireworks.
Justin Verlander was added to the AL roster as a “Legend Pick” by commissioner Rob Manfred, but he has been injured since April and did not appear.
In Other News...
Ceddanne Rafaelas Favorite Former Red Sox Teammate Will Hit Fans Hard
At All-Star Game media day, Ceddanne Rafaela was asked to name his favorite former teammate, a harmless question that still carried a little weight for Red Sox fans watching the roster turn over around him. The Boston center fielder, now an All-Star himself, answered in a way that spoke to the kind of bond that can outlast a uniform change, especially when the player in question once sat at the center of the clubs lineup and clubhouse.
The timing gives the answer extra bite because the former teammate in question is no longer part of Bostons present, having been dealt to San Francisco during the 2025 season. For a team that has already seen enough moving parts in the trade market, Rafaelas reflection is a reminder of how quickly a familiar face can become a memory, even if the respect and appreciation remain very much intact. [Read more 🡒]
Willson Contreras Just Put More Pressure On Red Sox Deadline Plans
Willson Contreras has given the Red Sox another reason to think carefully as the trade deadline approaches. The newly minted All-Star has settled in as Bostons first baseman, and he made clear he has enjoyed his time at Fenway Park, where the atmosphere has only added to the appeal of staying put. With the club still in the playoff mix, his comfort level matters, especially for a team trying to balance short-term urgency with longer-term planning.
The timing also makes the situation harder to ignore because Contreras is under contract for two more seasons, which already makes a move less likely. Even so, the faint trade chatter around him has not disappeared entirely, and his preference to remain in Boston only sharpens the pressure on the front office as it decides whether to buy, hold, or reshape the roster in the days ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Make Curious Deadline Move During Playoff Push
The Red Sox added another layer to their roster shuffle by bringing in Jahmai Jones from Detroit for a player to be named later, a move that fits the kind of deadline maneuvering clubs make when they are trying to keep options open without paying a heavy price. Jones gives Boston an outfielder-designated hitter type with some big-league experience across several organizations, and he arrives with a track record that includes a strong season in Detroit not long ago.
For Boston, the more immediate significance is roster math. Jones slides onto the 40-man after Danny Coulombe was designated for assignment, and he will need a spot on the 26-man roster once play resumes, which makes this less of a pure depth add than a bet on whether the Red Sox can get something useful out of a player Detroit had already moved on from. The intrigue is whether Boston sees a short-term bench piece, a reclamation project, or simply a flexible name to keep in the mix as the playoff push tightens. [Read more 🡒]