Another Boston Red Sox winning streak came to an end on Tuesday night. This time, it came at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels, a team that the Red Sox would like to beat given that they have something to play for while the Angels are already eliminated from contention.
The Angels had Reid Detmers on the mound, though, and he threw a gem. In 6.0 innings, he gave up just one hit and struck nine batters out. The Red Sox weren’t able to score until the bullpen came into the game.
In the regular season, it was a bad day against a good pitcher. However, the playoffs are rapidly approaching. There, the Red Sox are going to strictly face good starting pitching, and Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy knows that his lineup needs to be better.
“Certainly, you’re going to run into some guys, high-end starters that are going to be really good against you,” Tracy said. “But we faced a number of high-end starters this year and have been able to grind them out. . . . So, complete faith in that. Sometimes you run into one that it looks like it’s going to be a challenge, and your best opportunity is probably to keep dragging them out, see if you get them out of the game.”
Coming into the season, how the lineup was constructed became a major question mark. Those questions grew when the team struggled early in the year, but as they began to win over the summer, most Red Sox fans stopped worrying too much about the lineup. Now, they sit at eighth in team OPS and 15th in runs scored, but remain liable to lay an egg against elite pitching.
“We’ve done a better job of limiting these kinds of nights,” shortstop Trevor Story said. “Just a few too many empty at-bats I would say.”
The Boston Red Sox Lineup is Decimated by Injuries
If there is a saving grace for the Red Sox to excuse their game against Reid Detmers, it’s that their lineup is currently dealing with several injuries. This is coming as they attempt to get healthy for the start of the playoffs.
Star first baseman Willson Contreras is currently on the IL with a hamstring issue. Then, Gold Glove centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela is battling a quad issue that landed him on the IL. Masataka Yoshida is dealing with his own hamstring strain, which appeared to be a severe one. It’s also easy to forget Curtis Mead, who broke his wrist in his first Red Sox game, but he also remains on the IL.
That’s four starter-quality players who the Red Sox are missing from their lineup. In a way, it’s surprising they’re not struggling worse at the plate, having won five games in a row before Tuesday.
Of course, the Red Sox have adjusted to playing without key players in the lineup. Roman Anthony and Trevor Story missed large chunks of the season this year, despite being starters. So, Chad Tracy does have some experience with this type of lineup.
The Red Sox Struggled Offensively in the 2025 Playoffs
As it stands, the Red Sox look like they’re heading toward a rematch of the 2025 Wild Card round in the 2026 playoffs. That means going to the Bronx to take on the New York Yankees once again.
2025 still stings for the Red Sox. After Garrett Crochet dominated Game 1, the Red Sox dropped the next two games. That included a rally that came after Jarren Duran misplayed a fly ball, which otherwise likely would have kept New York from scoring again and given the Red Sox a second win in the two-game series.
Then, in Game 3, Boston suffered a power outage. The Red Sox only had five hits and didn’t score at all against Cam Schlittler. They can count on seeing him again in 2026.
Chad Tracy and the Red Sox need to have the offense firing on all cylinders this postseason. Otherwise, it could be another quick out.
Red Sox Manager Chad Tracy Cautions Lineup After Loss to Angels, Reid Detmers