The Boston Red Sox are 82–69.
They currently sit 9½ games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East, but more importantly, Boston still holds the second American League Wild Card position, 5½ games ahead of Cleveland with only 11 games remaining.
So no, the season isn’t collapsing.
But Tuesday night’s 4–2 loss to the Texas Rangers was exactly the kind of game that makes you start staring suspiciously at October.
Because we’ve seen this movie before.
Patrick Sandoval: Great Start…Until It Wasn’t
Patrick Sandoval struck out the first four Rangers he faced.
Fantastic.
Then apparently somebody reminded him this was a Red Sox game.
Texas scored four runs in the second inning, highlighted by an Elias Díaz two-run double and Corey Seager’s two-run single — technically a popup that Trevor Story nearly caught before it tipped off his glove.
Sandoval was finished after only 2⅔ innings, allowing all four Texas runs while walking two and striking out five.
The bullpen?
Basically perfect.
Boston relievers shut Texas out for the remaining 5⅓ innings.
Which makes the loss even more annoying.
The pitching staff essentially said, “Okay offense, we’ve cleaned up the crime scene. Now just score three runs.”
The offense responded by putting on oven mitts.
Nick Sogard Apparently Didn’t Get the Memo
Nick Sogard provided Boston’s entire offense with a two-run homer in the third inning.
That’s it.
Two runs.
Thanks for coming.
Meanwhile Jacob deGrom struck out eight over five innings, but this wasn’t exactly 1999 Pedro Martinez throwing baseballs through concrete walls. DeGrom needed 92 pitches to get through five innings, meaning Boston had opportunities.
And that’s what makes this game frustrating.
The Red Sox didn’t get dominated.
They got opportunities…
…and then repeatedly drove those opportunities directly into a telephone pole.
The Fifth Inning Was Peak Red Sox
Boston loaded the bases in the fifth inning without recording a hit.
Hit batter.
Catcher’s interference.
Walk.
This was baseball basically grabbing Boston by the collar and screaming:
“HERE. TAKE A RUN.”
Adley Rutschman grounded out.
In the eighth inning, Boston loaded the bases again before Jacob Latz struck out pinch-hitter Andruw Monasterio to end the threat.
According to an analysis of the game, Boston had 11 of the game’s 13 highest-leverage plate appearances and failed to record a hit in any of them.
That’s not ideal when the calendar says September 16.
Because playoff baseball is basically nine innings of high-leverage plate appearances.
And Here Comes October…
Boston’s playoff position remains strong.
But games like Tuesday night should concern anybody imagining this lineup facing elite pitching in a three-game Wild Card series.
Jacob deGrom.
Gerrit Cole.
Some psychopath throwing 99 with a slider disappearing into another dimension.
That’s October.
You’re not going to get twelve hits every night.
Sometimes you’re getting six.
Sometimes you’re getting four.
And when the bases are loaded, somebody has to drive the damn baseball.
Tonight: Bennett vs. Gore
Boston gets another shot tonight at 8:05 PM in Arlington, with rookie Jake Bennett (9–7, 3.69 ERA) scheduled to face Rangers left-hander MacKenzie Gore (8–11, 4.62).
This isn’t panic time.
Not even close.
But October is approaching quickly, and Tuesday night was a pretty good dress rehearsal for postseason baseball.
Elite starting pitcher.
Close game.
Bullpen keeps you alive.
Multiple opportunities with runners in scoring position.
And Boston went home with two runs and a loss.
At some point, “we had chances” has to become:
“We got the hit.”
Join the Conversation
Was last night just one bad offensive night, or are you worried this lineup is going to struggle when October pitching gets serious?
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