“Not only had their season ended, but many in the room believed Gray had been disrespected.”
Boston’s decision to go to the bullpen early in the Wild Card series apparently didn’t sit well in the clubhouse. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Beyond being embarrassed by the Yankees on the field in the Wild Card series, an internal problem is plaguing the Boston Red Sox in the aftermath.
Boston’s handling of Game 2 starter Sonny Gray didn’t sit well with some players, according to a report. Several Red Sox roster members felt a certain way about manager Chad Tracy’s quick hook in the fifth inning after Gray had thrown only 70 pitches.
“Not only had their season ended, but many in the room believed Gray had been disrespected,” MassLive’s Sean McAdam wrote on Friday.
Gray, 36, wasn’t perfect during Wednesday’s do-or-die game at Yankee Stadium. He allowed six hits, two earned runs, and a home run through 4.2 innings and had runners on the corners with two outs when Tracy retrieved the ball from the veteran right-hander.
But Gray’s pitch count was pretty low, he hadn’t allowed a walk, and he’d thrown 50 strikes. Game 1 starter Payton Tolle had also been yanked after 4.2 frames the night before, a clear indication that Boston entered the series not wanting to allow its starters to pitch three times through the Yankees’ lineup.
Not only did both decisions immediately backfire on the team, but it was also a big reason (coupled with a complete lack of offense) why the Red Sox’ season ended as quickly as it had begun.
Gray made it known postgame that he wasn’t thrilled with the quick hook. He pointed to his success rate when facing opponents the third time through the order across his 29 regular season starts.
“I would have liked to be trusted in that moment,” Gray told reporters. “I think I’m the best pitcher in the American League going through the order a third time. I think that’s a fact.
“I would have liked [for Tracy] to live or die with me in that moment, but that’s the competitor I am.”
Gray, who finished the regular season with 18 wins (tied with Phillies’ Christopher Sanchez for most in MLB), held opposing batters to a .180 average and posted a 1.99 ERA when facing them for a third time.
In his candid comments, Gray mentioned his teammates likely felt similarly about his fate, as McAdam later reported.
“I think you can probably ask the guys and I think they felt the same way,” Gray said. “So, I felt strong, I felt confident, I felt convicted. But what can you do, you know?”
McAdam floated the possibility that Gray had discussed his being removed from the contest early with teammates in the clubhouse before he fielded questions.
“Indeed, without naming names, Gray made a point to note that others in the room were as surprised and disappointed as he was. Perhaps that, too, explains the emotional nature of Gray’s embraces as he toured the clubhouse before speaking with the media,” McAdam wrote.
Gray, who will essentially be a free agent this offseason, wouldn’t commit to pitching in 2027.
“I don’t know what the future holds for me,” he said. “I do know that I walked off that mound with my chest back and my chin up and I can definitely be proud that I left it all out there until the ball was taken out of my hands. I still left that mound with my chest up and my chin up and I can be proud of that.”
He also said, “I don’t know” when asked whether he’d want to remain in Boston if he did continue his MLB career.
The upcoming MLB offseason is a murky one. A lockout looms, which could put the 2027 season in jeopardy. But if the season does start on time, the Red Sox may have already lost Gray — who was Boston’s ace for the majority of the year after Garrett Crochet got hurt — because of their lack of trust in him with the season on the line.
Additionally, it seems much of the rest of the roster is entering the offseason with a bad taste in their mouth. Being eliminated in the playoffs is one thing, but having such negative emotions toward decision-makers as the team bids adieu for the next few months (or longer) is not a recipe for success.
The Red Sox’ brass (president Sam Kennedy, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, and Tracy) will surely field questions about the situation during their end-of-season press conference, which is scheduled for Monday at 11 a.m. Eastern Time.
Kaley BrownSports producer
Kaley Brown is a sports producer who covers breaking and trending news about the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox.
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