The Red Sox’s season ended the way too many promising runs do: with a sharp, ugly stop when the lights got brightest. Boston was riding the kind of summer that can fool you into thinking something bigger is coming, but the Yankees slammed the door in the Wild Card series, winning both games and outscoring the Red Sox 18-2.
Manager Chad Tracy didn’t try to dress it up afterward. He acknowledged the highs Boston stacked up along the way, but made clear none of that changes how the ending feels.
"Regardless of all the special things that happened this summer, and there was quite a few, the goal was to win the World Series. That ended for us tonight," Tracy said after the game.
He added, "It's frustrating. There's a lot of things you could say, but in the moment, right now, the guys only care that we lost. It's going to take some time to get over that."
Boston’s path to October was built on a dramatic turnaround. The Red Sox opened the season among the league’s worst teams, then caught fire in July with a 15-game winning streak. They also put together a nine-game streak, had a Cy Young favorite in Sonny Gray, and welcomed Roman Anthony back after months on the IL.
None of it carried over once the postseason arrived. Anthony exited Game 1 with an injury and was removed from the roster.
Garrett Crochet, back after being out since April with an injury, gave up four earned runs. On the other side, Cam Schlittler and Max Fried kept Boston’s hottest bats quiet.
Tracy also went to the bullpen early in both games, pulling his starting pitcher before the innings could fully settle. The Yankees made him pay every time.
Now the Red Sox face a long wait until Spring Training, while the Yankees advance to meet the Rays in the American League Division Series.
In Other News...
Patriots May Have Found Their Answer To A Growing O-Line Problem
A couple of injuries along the Patriots offensive line forced the team to move quickly, and the answer came from a familiar type of acquisition: a veteran with positional flexibility. New England signed Matt Pryor off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad after losing Mike Onwenu and Greg Van Roten, giving the group another experienced body at a spot where injuries can reshape a lineup in a hurry.
Pryors appeal is straightforward. He has played multiple positions along the line, including right guard and tackle, and that kind of versatility gives the Patriots options as they try to steady the front. The team also added rookie tackle DaMetrius Weatherspoon to the practice squad, a reminder that New England is still working to build both immediate depth and longer-term insurance while the line picture remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
A.J. Brown May Have Escaped Exactly What Patriots Fans Feared
A.J. Browns departure from Philadelphia already looked like a significant development for the Patriots when the trade went through, but the conversation around him has only grown more interesting as the Eagles try to sort out their offense. Reports and sideline observations have fed speculation about the relationship between Brown and Jalen Hurts, while DeVonta Smiths recent frustration during a game added another layer to the sense that not everything is smooth in that passing game.
For New England, the appeal of Brown was never just his production. It was the idea that the Patriots were getting a receiver who could change the shape of an offense and give them a proven presence at the top of the depth chart. If the Eagles are still dealing with unresolved tension, it only sharpens the contrast for a Patriots team trying to build something more stable and productive around him. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen A Smith Tied The Patriots' Ugly Start To An Offseason Distraction
The Patriots slow start has already made for an uncomfortable backdrop around Foxborough, and Stephen A. Smith added another layer of noise by tying the teams early struggles to the kind of offseason distraction that has followed Mike Vrabel into his new job. His comments were indirect, but the connection was clear enough to stir back up a storyline New England would rather keep in the rearview mirror, especially with the season still settling in.
At the center of the lingering attention is Dianna Russini, who left The Athletic earlier this year after an investigation into an alleged improper relationship with Vrabel. There has been speculation about whether she could return to NFL reporting, but her next move remains uncertain, and the broader question for the Patriots is how much of this outside chatter continues to shadow a team already trying to dig out of an ugly start. [Read more 🡒]