Late Plane? No Problem.
The Red Sox spent nearly 24 hours trapped in travel chaos, arrived at Citi Field just hours before first pitch...and then proceeded to punch the Mets right in the mouth.
Raise your hand if you thought the Red Sox were going to come into New York after spending almost an entire day stranded because of mechanical problems, dragging their luggage into the clubhouse, looking like contestants from Survivor: LaGuardia Edition, and somehow beat the Mets.
Now put your hand down.
You’re lying.
This had all the makings of one of those classic Red Sox disasters. The team was delayed leaving Chicago after a tug malfunction and then another aircraft issue kept them grounded even longer. They finally landed Friday afternoon and arrived at Citi Field with barely enough time to change into their uniforms before first pitch was pushed back.
Instead of looking exhausted...
They looked angry.
And the Mets paid the price.
The Red Sox opened their weekend series in Queens with a 6-2 victory, extending their winning streak to seven gamesand improving to 15-5 over their last 20 games. Suddenly, the club everyone wanted to sell off two weeks ago is making life awfully uncomfortable for the front office.
Sonny Gray continues to be ridiculous
Can we talk about Sonny Gray for a minute?
Because every time this guy takes the mound, he looks like he’s pitching a different sport than everyone else.
Gray improved to 11-1, winning his ninth consecutive decision after throwing six innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out three. It wasn’t his flashiest outing of the year, but it was exactly what Boston needed after the travel nightmare.
There was no panic.
No nibbling.
No “let’s see if I can walk three guys before getting an out.”
Just six innings of professional pitching.
Meanwhile, somewhere in baseball, another starter threw 97 pitches in four innings while his manager insisted he “competed.”
Sonny Gray just wins baseball games.
The offense waited...
...and then unloaded.
Boston jumped ahead immediately thanks to Masataka Yoshida, whose two-run double in the first inning cashed in Anthony Seigler and Wilyer Abreu after a Mets defensive mistake opened the door. Those two unearned runs were exactly the kind of punch you want to land when the opposing crowd thinks your team should still be asleep on the airplane.
The Mets trimmed the lead to 2-1, and for a while this game felt like it might turn into one of those aggravating nights where Boston strands twelve runners and loses by one.
Then the seventh inning happened.
Anthony Seigler absolutely hammered a two-run home run that wrapped itself around the left-field foul pole.
Cue the air leaving Citi Field.
Then, because apparently the Mets hadn’t suffered enough, Wilyer Abreu launched another two-run homer in the ninth to make sure nobody had to sweat the final outs.
Game.
Set.
Flight delayed.
Offensive leaders
Boston finished with 11 hits, and several hitters carried the load.
Wilyer Abreu: 3-for-4, home run, 2 RBI, walk.
Anthony Seigler: 2-for-5, home run, 2 RBI, 2 runs scored.
Masataka Yoshida: 2-for-4, double, 2 RBI.
Tsung-Che Cheng: 2 hits.
Ceddanne Rafaela: reached base twice and continued playing outstanding center field.
Not everybody had a banner evening.
Poor Romy Gonzalez struck out four times.
Romy, blink twice if the baseball looked like a wiffle ball.
We’ve all had rough days.
The bullpen slammed the door
Boston’s relievers deserve plenty of love.
After Gray departed, the bullpen handled the remaining innings without allowing the Mets any serious chance to climb back.
When your offense scores six and your pitchers limit a dangerous lineup to two runs despite allowing ten hits, that’s winning baseball.
Not sexy.
Not flashy.
Winning.
Here’s what really impressed me
Forget the score.
Forget the home runs.
Forget the winning streak.
The thing that stood out most was the professionalism.
Think about the circumstances.
Most teams would’ve had every excuse imaginable.
“We were tired.”
“We didn’t sleep.”
“We had travel problems.”
“Our routine was disrupted.”
Instead?
Boston showed up, took an early lead, pitched beautifully, added insurance late, shook hands, and went back to the hotel.
That’s a mature baseball team.
Whether they’re talented enough remains to be seen.
But they’re finally acting like professionals every single night.
The trade deadline just became fascinating
Here’s where things get interesting.
Not long ago, the discussion centered around which veterans Boston should trade.
Now?
What exactly do you do?
This isn’t a fluke that’s lasted two or three games.
The Red Sox have won seven straight.
They’ve swept the White Sox.
They’ve beaten the Angels.
Now they’ve opened a difficult road series by knocking off the Mets despite one of the most bizarre travel days you’ll ever see.
The front office has a choice.
Sell because the overall record still says this season has been disappointing?
Or reward a clubhouse that’s suddenly showing genuine life?
Neither answer is easy.
That’s exactly what winning does.
It complicates everything.
Food for thought
Here’s today’s Red Sox Digest question.
How much should recent baseball matter?
If a team spends two months playing mediocre baseball and then spends three weeks looking like one of the hottest clubs in the league...
Which version deserves your trust?
The larger sample?
Or the team standing in front of you today?
Baseball executives get paid millions to answer that question.
Fans answer it emotionally.
Players answer it by walking onto the field tomorrow and trying to make yesterday happen again.
Somewhere between those three answers is the truth.
Boston’s challenge now isn’t proving they can win seven straight.
It’s proving this isn’t simply a hot streak before the All-Star break.
Because if this is who they really are...
The American League might have another problem.
If you enjoyed today’s edition of Red Sox Digest, share it with another Red Sox fan who’s suddenly remembering what optimism feels like. Subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Substack, and join us after tonight’s game as we break down whether this team is truly turning the corner—or simply setting us up for the most spectacular emotional plot twist imaginable.