Red Sox Week in Review: Aroldis Chapman's 400th Save Caps Off Rollercoaster Week

[Alex Mayes]

Boston Red Sox Weekly Snapshot

Record Last Week: 5-2

Runs Scored Last Week: 33

Runs Surrendered Last Week: 31

Standings

3rd in AL East

6.5 GB First Place

2nd in AL Wild Card

3 GB First Place

Transactions

08/31/26: Boston Red Sox recalled DH Mickey Gasper from Worcester Red Sox.

08/31/26: Boston Red Sox placed 1B Willson Contreras on the 10-day injured list. Left hamstring strain.

09/01/26: Boston Red Sox recalled LHP Eduardo Rivera from Worcester Red Sox.

09/01/26: Boston Red Sox selected the contract of RHP Jedixson Paez from Worcester Red Sox.

09/01/26: Boston Red Sox recalled RHP Wyatt Olds from Worcester Red Sox.

09/01/26: Boston Red Sox placed RHP Tyron Guerrero on the 15-day injured list. Right shoulder inflammation.

09/01/26: Boston Red Sox activated 2B Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the 60-day injured list.

09/01/26: Boston Red Sox designated 3B Brett Harris for assignment.

09/01/26: Boston Red Sox placed LHP Eduardo Rivera on the 60-day injured list. Lumbar strain.

09/01/26: Boston Red Sox activated RHP Jedixson Paez.

09/02/26: Boston Red Sox recalled LHP Raymond Burgos from Worcester Red Sox.

09/02/26: Boston Red Sox optioned RHP Jedixson Paez to Worcester Red Sox.

09/03/26: San Francisco Giants claimed 3B Brett Harris off waivers from Boston Red Sox.

09/06/26: Boston Red Sox recalled OF Nate Eaton from Worcester Red Sox.

09/06/26: Boston Red Sox placed CF Ceddanne Rafaela on the 10-day injured list retroactive to September 3, 2026. Right quadriceps strain.

Scores

Game 138: BOS 9, SEA 8

Game 139: BOS 6, SEA 9

Game 140: BOS 3, SEA 8

Game 141: BOS 6, BAL 5

Game 142: BOS 1, BAL 0

Game 143: BOS 5, BAL 0

Game 144: BOS 3, BAL 1

Series Breakdown/Highlights

Mariners Series: Let’s be honest with each other for a second, this series sucked eggs. Game one was the only one worth watching, if only because Trevor Story came back to win the game with a walk-off hit. Payton Tolle looked good to start, but ran out of gas in the sixth inning. He ended up tossing 5.2 innings of four-run ball while striking out six and walking two. Tyron Guerrero, Erik Miller, Alec Gamboa, and the aforementioned Chapman closed out the game. Guerrero would allow three earned runs while Miller allowed his first earned run since June. The offense was carried by home runs from Jarren Duran and, obviously, Mickey Gasper.

Game two saw rookie Jedixson Paez get lit up, but that was to be expected from someone who only made three starts with the WooSox before getting called up to make a spot start for the big-league club. He ended up throwing 3.2 innings while allowing eight earned runs, ten hits, three strikeouts, and two walks. With the game out of hand, Gamboa, Wyatt Olds, and Greg Weissert were tasked with keeping the M’s off the board while the Sox tried to mount a late-inning comeback. They did just that, but the offense came up short. If you had Gasper going deep in back-to-back games, you’d be sitting on a decent stack of money. If you added in a homer for Jahmai Jones, you’d be filthy rich. Rafaela contributed the only other RBIs on the night for the Sox in the loss. 

Game three saw Patrick Sandoval take the ball and only throw four innings. He allowed three earned runs, five hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. Brayan Bello and Raymond Burgos came out of the bullpen and Bello was his less-than-stellar self. He pitched three innings, allowed four earned runs, and didn’t strike out anyone. Burgos worked two clean innings, striking out two. On offense, Roman Anthony went deep for the home crowd. Eli White and Trevor Story contributed the only other RBIs on the afternoon. 

Orioles Series: For as bad as the series against the Mariners felt, the series against the Orioles felt that much better. In game one, Jake Bennett made another start that showed he could be trusted to be part of the starting group in the post season. He went six innings, allowed three earned runs, and struck out seven. Miller, Garrett Whitlock, and Chapman all came in in relief. Chapman made things a bit interesting by giving up two earned runs, but he held on to secure the save. On offense, a home run from Roman Anthony proved to be the most clutch hit of the night, giving the Sox a single run of breathing room when the game was finished. The spotlight belonged to Adley Rutschman though, who went deep twice in his return to Baltimore. Nick Sogard also connected with a long ball on the night. 

Game two was a different game altogether, thanks to Ranger Suarez. He tossed seven innings of shutout baseball. He only struck out three, but that’s your typical Suarez start when he’s on his game. Whitlock and Chapman came in to shut the door and give the Red Sox the one-run win. On offense, the lone run came from the one and only Mickey Gasper on a solo home run.

Game three saw Sonny Gray return to dominance as the Red Sox took the series, and the season series, from the Orioles behind his seven innings of seven-strikeout ball. Jovani Moran, Weissert, and Olds all shut the door to help secure the win for Gray. On offense, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Connor Wong, and White drove in all of the runs for the Sox proving, once again, that offense can come from anywhere on this roster.

Finally, game four secured the series sweep for the Red Sox. Payton Tolle was magical over six innings, striking out 12 while only allowing one earned run. Miller and Moran were the bridge to Chapman, who closed out the sweep with his 400th career save. You could tell Chappy was feeling himself when he stepped onto the rubber at the start of the ninth and he came out throwing gas to make sure he put his name in the record books in Baltimore. Offensively, Eli White was the spark once again. He’s been filling in for an injured Rafaela in a big way and will be a crucial part of the offense as the team navigates the last three weeks of the season.

Website Highlights

Jovani Moran’s Second-Half slide is a Consequence of Red Sox’s Aggressive Bullpen Management by Yirsandy Rodriguez 

Red Sox Report Cards: Team Grades for August by Ryan Salvaggio

Red Sox MLB Hitters of the Month, August 2026: The Mickey Gasper Revolution Has Begun by Alex Mayes

Looking Ahead

09/07/26: Angels (Grayson Rodriguez) @ Red Sox (Brayan Bello): 1:35 PM EDT

09/08/26: Angels (Reid Detmers) @ Red Sox (Patrick Sandoval): 6:45 PM EDT

09/09/26: Angels (Ryan Johnson) @ Red Sox (Jake Bennett): 6:45 PM EDDT

09/10/26: Off Day

09/11/26: Royals @ Red Sox: 7:10 PM EDT

09/12/26: Royals @ Red Sox: 4:10 PM EDT

09/13/26: Royals @ Red Sox: 1:35 PM EDT

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