Red Sox Week in Review: The Momentum Killers

[Alex Mayes]

Boston Red Sox Weekly Snapshot

Record Last Week: 4-2

Runs Scored Last Week: 29 

Runs Surrendered Last Week: 29

Standings

5th in AL East

12.5 GB First Place

Transactions

07/01/26: Boston Red Sox recalled LHP Alec Gamboa from Worcester Red Sox.

07/01/26: Athletics traded 3B Brett Harris to Boston Red Sox for RHP Ben Hansen.

07/01/26: Boston Red Sox placed LHP Connelly Early on the 15-day injured list. Left elbow inflammation.

07/01/26: Boston Red Sox activated LHP Jovani Morán from the 15-day injured list.

07/01/26: Boston Red Sox designated RHP Tommy Kahnle for assignment.

07/02/26: Boston Red Sox signed free agent RHP Sam McWilliams to a minor league contract

07/02/26: Boston Red Sox sent 3B Nick Sogard on a rehab assignment to Portland Sea Dogs.

07/03/26: Boston Red Sox sent RHP Tommy Kahnle outright to Worcester Red Sox.

Scores

Game 83: BOS 6, WSH 3

Game 84: BOS 1, WSH 8

Game 85: BOS 2, WSH 10

Game 86: BOS 5, LAA 2

Game 87: BOS 8, LAA 1

Game 88: BOS 7, LAA 5

Series Breakdown/Highlights

Nationals Series: Remember that wave of great feelings we were all riding after the sweep of the Yankees? Well, it continued into game one of this series. Ranger Suarez gave the Red Sox their 12th quality start in a row, tossing six innings of three-run baseball on Monday night. He allowed five hits, walked one, and struck out eight. Willson Contreras had maybe the most electric home run of the season in the first inning, and that likely led to a couple of other things that happened this series as well. Caleb Durbin continued the home run party for the Sox while Wilyer Abreu and Carlos Narvaez added one RBI each as well. Contreras was ejected for tapping his helmet as he walked back to the dugout at the conclusion of the second inning.

Game two got the fireworks started before the holiday weekend had a chance to get here. First, Connelly Early was removed after only throwing four innings with inflammation in his left elbow. He was subsequently placed on the injured list the following day. He seemed to be on his way to the 13th straight quality start before the elbow started to bark at him. From there, the bullpen gave up eight earned runs, with Tommy Kahnle giving up half of them. He was subsequently DFA’d after the game. The next, and bigger, story of the game came after Contreras struck out in his second at-bat of the night. Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli seemed to take umbrage to Contreras cutting across the infield and getting in his way at the conclusion of the first inning. The pitcher subsequently yelled at Contreras after the latter struck out. Contreras seemed confused, and Cavalli kept talking, until the dugouts and bullpens cleared and we had more than just some pushing and shoving. Contreras then threw his helmet at Cavalli and had to be restrained by multiple members of the Red Sox, and even Keibert Ruiz of the Nationals. Nate Eaton and Miles Mikolas got into a ‘who can throw the other on the ground first’ match, and all three were ejected from the game. After that, the Red Sox's bats went cold for the remainder of the series.

Game three wasn’t worth watching. Payton Tolle had arguably the worst start of his career, only going three innings and giving up six earned runs, seven hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. From there, Ryan Watson, Jovani Moran, and Alec Gamboa all allowed earned runs as well. Durbin and Eaton contributed the two runs the Sox scored on the day, and the team likely hoped to put this whole series behind them as they flew across the country to Anaheim. 

Angels series: Although both Contreras and Eaton were suspended for their involvement in the skirmish on Tuesday, they both appealed and were able to play the entirety of the series against the Angels. In game one, Jake Bennett turned in the best start of his young career by a mile. He threw 7.2 innings of six-strikeout, two-earned-run baseball. We saw Garrett Whitlock come in to close out the eighth inning and then were treated to Aroldis Chapman breaking the all-time MLB strikeout record for a reliever. Every strikeout he throws from now until the end of his career will just continue to cement him as a Hall of Famer. On the offensive side, Durbin continued to be on an absolute heater at the plate, going yard again. Recently activated Romy Gonzalez got in on the action with two RBIs, and Jarren Duran drove in a couple to put the game out of reach. 

Game two saw another offensive breakout for the Sox, led by home runs from Contreras and Gonzalez. Abreu and Rafaela also contributed RBIs to the cause. Durbin turned in a zero-for-five game at the dish, a rarity for him since he started working with an outside hitting coach. On the defensive side of the ball, Sonny Gray continued his dominant run with six innings of seven-strikeout, one-earned-run baseball. Moran, Greg Weissert, and Gamboa all saw action out of the bullpen to secure the win for Gray, who was snubbed of an All-Star appearance that was announced earlier in the day. 

Game three featured All-Star Ranger Suarez in an outing that saw him only toss 2.2 innings before he was removed with left abductor tightness. In his almost three innings, he managed to strike out five while giving up three earned runs. Both Justin Slaten and Aroldis Chapman also gave up an earned run in the outing. Duran and Contreras got the party going for the Red Sox who, through the first three innings, couldn’t seem to break through until Contreras put them in the lead for good. Masataka Yoshida and Abreu also contributed RBIs.. This was a series sweep against a team that should have been swept, but the Red Sox had let us down in those matchups earlier in the season. They now fly to Chicago to take on the White Sox, a team no one anticipated being as good as they are this season.

Website Highlights

How Jake Bennett is Succeeding Without a Dominant Pitch by Yirsandy Rodriguez 

Brayan Bello, Kristian Campbell Know There is Work to be done Before Returning to Red Sox by Nick John

Anthony Seigler, AKA The Red Sox’s Luis Arraez by Jack Lindsay

Red Sox Can Talk Solace in One Simple Fact: They Aren’t the Mets by Alex Mayes 

Looking Ahead

07/06/26: Off day

07/07/26: Red Sox (Payton Tolle) @ White Sox (Noah Schultz): 7:40 PM EDT

07/08/26: Red Sox (Jake Bennett) @ White Sox (Davis Martin): 7:40 PM EDT

07/09/26: Red Sox (TBD) @ White Sox (Anthony Kay): 2:10 PM EDT

07/10/26: Red Sox @ Mets: 7:15 PM EDT

07/11/26: Red Sox @ Mets: 4:10 PM EDT

07/12/26: Red Sox @ Mets: 1:40 PM EDT

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