Aroldis Chapman was warming up within the prime of the ninth inning with the Pink Sox down a run simply in case he was wanted for the underside half of the body; however with the way in which this offense has carried out all season, that felt like possession drawing up World Collection parade routes for the autumn, simply in in case.
Unsurprisingly, the Pink Sox went down like church mice for the ultimate three outs to fall to:
- 11 video games below .500 for the primary time since 2020
- 0-27 on the season when trailing by three runs or extra at any level within the sport
- 0-35 when trailing after eight innings
Maybe probably the most stunning stat to associate with that final bullet is that the Pink Sox truly lead all of baseball in runs scored within the ninth inning in 2026 with 40. They only by no means rating after they really need the runs to tie the sport or take the lead. Sure, the offense is dangerous, nevertheless it’s particularly abysmal when the sport is on the road in a means that’s all however mathematically unimaginable.
Tonight was simply one other verse in the identical rancid, repeating tune that’s the 2026 Pink Sox season. The twist on this explicit stanza is that the underside third of the lineup truly carried out fairly nicely whereas the highest six guys when 2-24 with zero walks.
Nowhere was this extra evident than within the backside of the eighth inning when proper after a Marcelo Mayer double reduce a 4-1 Rays result in 4-3. On this second, the primary three guys of the inning reached, the highest of the order was developing, and the Rays nonetheless had six outs to barter earlier than the top of the sport. How did the highest six guys within the Sox lineup deal with the chance? They went 0-6 and blew a golden alternative to keep away from all three lethal bullet factors above.
I do know I’ve talked about this earlier than, however I’ve by no means seen a crew fairly like this one. It’s not simply that they’re the more serious offense in baseball in excessive leverage conditions (batting .214 with a .609 OPS), it’s that they’re eleventh in baseball in medium leverage spots to associate with that. As an example, they really have a better OPS than the Yankees in medium leverage spots, however are nearly 200 factors behind them in excessive leverage conditions.
One of many causes this season appears like such a joyless slog is as a result of there’s by no means any nights the place they randomly come by in an enormous spot and blend in a comeback win amid the flood of loses and different deficiencies. These are the gorgeous breaths of recent on the floor that hold you coming again in a season the place you’re in any other case drowning. Even most dangerous groups with dangerous lineups discover a option to sprinkle them in each every now and then, however not this group.
I hold pondering this has to alter considerably simply by random likelihood, however possibly I’m simply an fool. (On a associated notice, I’ll be going to Boston to catch the video games this weekend.)
Marcelo Mayer: One good factor about tonight is that there’s extra indicators Marcelo Mayer’s new toe faucet is likely to be paying dividends. Not solely did he observe up yesterday’s residence run with an enormous eighth inning double, however he additionally had a pleasant at bat within the third inning with a runner in scoring place the place regardless of making an out, he acquired the ball in play with 107mph exit velocity.
Caleb Durbin: 1-3 on the plate, and he additionally flashed some leather-based with this glorious double play within the discipline within the first inning, which felt actually vital within the second:
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: The one man within the Pink Sox lineup with a multi-hit sport, which is just about an computerized ticket into the stud part of the sport wrap in 2026.
Ceddanne Rafaela: 0-4 with the bottom WPA within the lineup tonight.
Willson Contreras: 0-4 with the second lowest WPA.
Masataka Yoshida: 0-4 with the third lowest WPA (and boy has he regarded terrible over the past month).
Mickey Gasper: 0-4 with the fourth lowest WPA.
Collectively, these 4 went 0-16 and had a -0.58 WPA.
NESN: They didn’t get again in time from industrial to point out the primary pitch of the underside of the third inning. Beneath no circumstance can this be allowed to slip!
