The Red Sox are running out of answers, and Romy Gonzalez may be the latest problem they can’t solve.
Boston had already been dealing with a murky injury picture all year, with Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony and Curtis Mead at one point all described as dealing with little more than scrapes and bruises. Gonzalez’s situation never drew the same attention, but the silence around him before the playoffs was hard to miss. He had been tearing it up in Triple-A with Worcester, hitting .355/.410/.538 with 11 extra-base hits, the kind of finish that usually forces a conversation about a postseason roster spot or at least a late call-up.
Instead, the first real update arrived Tuesday, and it wasn’t encouraging. Chad Tracy said Gonzalez is still dealing with an elbow issue and that the club is trying to get him healthy “if there is another around.”
That news lands especially hard now that Roman Anthony is also out of the lineup for Game 2 of the Wild Card Round after injuring his hand on a recent swing. Boston’s offense was already thin, and losing both Anthony and Gonzalez leaves the lineup stretched close to the breaking point.
The matchup only makes things worse. Max Fried has been a nightmare for the Red Sox, posting a 0.92 ERA across his five most recent starts against them, with 32 strikeouts and 11 walks in 29⅓ innings. Boston has only three hitters with an OPS above .700 against him among those with at least 10 plate appearances: Willson Contreras at .721, Isiah Kiner-Falefa at .727, and Trevor Story at .829.
Gonzalez would have mattered here. He owns a 1.016 OPS against Fried in nine plate appearances and has been one of Boston’s better left-handed hitters over his career, with a 132 wRC+. Jahmai Jones can handle that side of the matchup, but the Red Sox may be forced to lean on Nate Eaton, who posted a 55 wRC+ against lefties this season, because Anthony, Gonzalez and Mickey Gasper are all unavailable.
Tracy did leave open the possibility of Gonzalez returning in the next round if Boston advances, but that feels far off after the flat Game 1 loss to presumptive American League Cy Young favorite Cam Schlittler. With Fried and Gerrit Cole waiting, the Red Sox would need a dramatic turnaround in a hurry just to keep their October alive.
In Other News...
Willson Contreras Just Sparked A New Red Sox Debate
After the Red Sox dropped Game 2 of the AL Wild Card series, catcher Willson Contreras offered a blunt critique of the way the team has been managed in big moments. His frustration centered on Boston's heavy reliance on data and analytics, a philosophy that has shaped plenty of decisions but also left room for questions when the margin gets tight and the postseason pressure rises.
Contreras pushed the idea that experience and veteran leadership still matter just as much as the numbers, especially in a series like this one against the Yankees. For a Red Sox team already trying to sort through the disappointment of the loss, his comments add another layer to the conversation about how much trust should be placed in the process when the stakes are highest. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Season Ended In The Worst Way Against The Yankees
The Red Sox season came to a halt in the most familiar kind of October pain, two losses to the Yankees in the Wild Card series ending Bostons postseason before it had a chance to build any momentum. For a club that spent the year trying to put itself in position for a deeper run, the short stay in the bracket made the disappointment immediate and hard to soften, even as manager Chad Tracy spoke openly about how much the defeat stung.
Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet both were dealing with injuries during the series, adding another layer of frustration to a matchup that already carried plenty of history. With the Yankees moving on to the American League Division Series, the Red Sox are left to sort through not just the final score of their season, but the feeling that their October ended in the worst possible way. [Read more 🡒]
Sonny Gray Just Made Bostons Offseason A Lot More Complicated
Sonny Grays first October cameo with the Red Sox gave Boston plenty to weigh going forward, even before the offseason conversations really begin. He worked 4.2 innings in the Wild Card series against the Yankees, allowed two runs and struck out five, then came out early at the decision of manager Chad Tracy.
After the series, Gray did not sound like someone assuming he would be back in Boston next season. The veteran right-hander said he was disappointed by the early removal and signaled uncertainty about returning, even after a season in which he posted a 2.72 ERA and led the league with 18 wins. For a team that just got a close-up look at what he can still provide, the question now is whether it gets another one. [Read more 🡒]