Red Sox’s Sonny Gray Not Happy After Being Pulled During Game 2

With a struggling batting lineup, Boston Red Sox rookie manager Chad Tracy decision to take players out of the game has led to another early postseason exit.

Starting pitcher Sonny Gray wasn’t happy about being relieved of his duties after only 70 pitches.

“I think I’m the best pitcher in the American League going through the order a third time. I think that’s a fact,” Gray said. “I would have liked to have been trusted in that moment.” 

Boston was outscored 18-2 during the series and exited their rollercoaster of a season on a low note, including Tracy taking over the manager role after Alex Cora was fired in April.

Tracy’s decision-making came under fire after both games against the Yankees. In game one, they were defeated 9-0, Tracy pulled starter Payton Tolle after 4 innings and 83 pitches in a 1-0 game.

“To have it end here two times in a row is tough,” shortstop Trevor Story said. 

Facing a New York lineup missing key hitter Aaron Judge, the Red Sox gave up 26 hits despite strong starting pitching. Boston recorded seven hits and snapped a 26-inning postseason scoring drought that dated to last year’s series against the Yankees.

“It’s obviously been an eventful year. In the moment right now you can’t think much more than anything but the fact that we just lost a playoff series,” Tracy said. 

Needing a win to extend their season, the Red Sox sent Gray to the mound for a chance. Trailing 1-0 in the fifth, Gray allowed a two-out single to Ben Rice that put runners at the corners. Leading to Tracy pulling Gray out of the game.

“I felt good. I felt crisp. I felt sharp. I think I got clipped for a solo home run and then some singles, but I felt like I stayed on the attack throughout,” Gray said. “I’m frustrated, for sure. You know, not ready for it to end. A lot of emotions.” 

Tracy felt a change needed to be made while trailing, wanting to keep the game close to give a struggling team a chance to win.

“We’re struggling to score runs,” Tracy said. “And when you get in spots where you’re struggling to score runs, and you’re already trailing, you feel like you’ve got to be aggressive and go.” 

The Red Sox went on a 15-game winning streak in July, matching a franchise record and then went on a 32-5 stretch to climb back into contention. They became the fourth team in major league history to reach the postseason after falling 14 games under .500 and the first to qualify after losing as many as 44 of its first 75.

“I’m proud of what we accomplished,” Gray said. “We were left for dead there for a while.”