The Red Sox are staring at the kind of night that strips everything down to the basics: survive, or go home. After Tuesday’s 9-0 loss to the Yankees, Boston is one defeat away from being knocked out of the postseason by its biggest rival for the second straight year.
That sets the stage for a tense Game 2 on Wednesday night, and the biggest questions around the club are piling up fast. The first one is Roman Anthony, who exited Game 1 early after his hand/wrist “flared” up. Boston turned to Andruw Monasterio as a pinch-hitter for Anthony in the sixth inning, and the concern is easy to understand: Anthony already missed more than three months because of a partially torn ring finger CMC ligament he injured on a check swing in May.
As of writing, with Game 2 set for 8 p.m. ET and less than 10 hours until first pitch, Anthony is still uncertain. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said Tuesday night the team was still “talking through” whether Anthony would need imaging on his hand.
“We're still talking through it,” Tracy said, as transcribed by MLB.com's Ian Browne. “The game just ended, but it's difficult.
Obviously it flared up on him and became uncomfortable, and you have to make a move there. So we'll see what the next steps are, but yeah, it was difficult."
Tracy stopped short of ruling Anthony out for Game 2, but he didn’t sound especially certain either.
“It's hard to say right now,” Tracy continued. “It's one of those things where he obviously was in a lot of discomfort.
So we had to remove him. We'll have to see what tomorrow brings.”
If Anthony can’t go, Boston has another roster problem to solve. And if he has to be replaced on the roster, he would also miss the next round if the Red Sox advance.
Braiden Ward and Romy Gonzalez stand out as the most obvious options, with Gonzalez offering the kind of bat that can do damage against lefties. That matters because the Yankees are sending Max Fried to the mound Wednesday and also have Carlos Rodon available in the bullpen, even though Rodon did not pitch Tuesday.
Then there’s the pitching puzzle. Boston used five relievers in Game 1, which makes Game 2 feel even more delicate.
Sonny Gray will start, but the Red Sox still have to decide how they want to cover the innings behind him if he doesn’t go the distance. Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock and Jake Bennett were all held out Tuesday.
Garrett Crochet was also unavailable then, but he is available now, and his status is one of the biggest calls left on the board. He hasn’t pitched in a game since April, which makes him a risky weapon to deploy, even if the Yankees’ struggles against left-handed pitching make him an appealing option after Gray.
And just to add one more layer to the night, there’s the sight of John Schreiber closing the door for New York. Once a Red Sox bullpen favorite, he handled the ninth inning in Game 1 with a clean frame, allowing no hits or walks while striking out one. For Boston fans, that one probably stung.
In Other News...
Red Sox Playoff Opener Turned On One Pitching Decision
The Red Sox spent the early innings of their Wild Card Game trying to keep things within reach against the Yankees, but the discussion afterward centered on one fifth-inning pitching move. Payton Tolle was pulled and Erik Miller took over, a switch that quickly changed the tone of the night when Ben Rice connected for a home run as New York added its second run and Bostons offense still could not answer.
It was the kind of decision that can loom larger once the game is over, especially with Millers recent struggles already part of the conversation. The move also left the Red Sox leaning on a bullpen that never really settled in, and as the late innings slipped away, the decision to go away from Tolle only looked more consequential. [Read more 🡒]
Roman Anthony's Early Exit Just Raised The Stakes For Boston
Roman Anthonys night ended early in Bostons Game 1 loss to New York after discomfort in his right hand forced him out of the lineup. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said the hand flared on him following a few check-swings, a frustrating development for a player the club has been counting on as it tries to get itself moving in this series.
Now the focus shifts to Game 2, where Anthonys status is still up in the air. For a Boston lineup already looking for better footing, even a minor hand issue can loom large, and the Red Sox will be watching closely to see whether he can be back in the order or whether they have to adjust again. [Read more 🡒]
Roman Anthony Exit Leaves Red Sox Facing A Brutal October Problem
Roman Anthonys night ended early in the Red Soxs Wild Card Series opener against the Yankees after he re-aggravated the right hand injury that had already cost him several months during the regular season. The issue surfaced on a check swing, and Boston had to turn to Andruw Monasterio as the designated hitter in the sixth inning while the game was still unfolding in a difficult direction.
The bigger concern for Boston is what this could mean over the rest of October, because Anthony had only just returned from the injured list and the Red Sox were counting on his bat to help steady the lineup in a tense postseason setting. Instead, they were left to absorb a 9-0 loss and wait to learn how much more time their young outfielder might miss at the worst possible moment. [Read more 🡒]