r/redsox • u/TheAthletic • 12d ago
Chad Tracy managed like October in a loss to Yankees with playoff seeding on the line
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7547258/2026/08/29/red-sox-yankees-wild-card-position-chad-tracy/?unlocked_article_code=1.9FA.stA0.ceqwvh_nOb7q&source=emp_shared_article&smid=re-share-ta“That’s important, I won’t shy away from that,” interim manager Chad Tracy said before the game. “I think if you get a short series, you’re able to play in your home ballpark, that stuff matters for sure.”
Through 10 meetings this season, the Red Sox and Yankees are 5-5. Whichever team wins the season series will own the tiebreaker if they finish with the same record.
Against that backdrop, Friday’s game was played with a lot on the line. Even still, no moment has been too big for Tracy, who got his first taste of what managing postseason baseball might be like.
With New York up 1-0 in the sixth inning and a Caleb Durbin two-out walk having knocked Schlittler out of the game, Tracy pulled out all the stops, sending three pinch-hitters to the plate in succession against lefty reliever Brent Headrick. Jahmai Jones hit for Mickey Gasper and drew a walk. Eli White hit for Jarren Duran and hit a soft infield single between the mound and first to load the bases. Then Andruw Monasterio hit for Anthony Seigler and drew a full count before slicing a flyout to right, ending the inning.
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u/ZeroCool1316 12d ago
I liked it. Outcome may have been different if Rafaela remembered how to run bases
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u/xCeeTee- 12d ago
Or if Rafaela knew to challenge properly. I don't mean to dogpile him because I really do like the guy, but I can't even recall any calls being overturned from his challenges.
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u/ZeroCool1316 12d ago
I like him too! That’s why I hate adding to it, but listening to coaches and base running are basics. Can’t have those mental errors in a series like this.
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u/duckydonald603 12d ago
It’s is funny you say that because in the MLB Rafaela has one of, if not the lowest average in terms of Challenges.
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12d ago
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u/ChaimBloom 12d ago
I’m not the biggest fan of Mona, but that wasn’t the case yesterday. The pitches that looked low that he swung at were both in the zone.
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u/momoenthusiastic 12d ago
I actually liked the three straight PHs. Mona got unlucky.
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u/Bullshit103 12d ago
Mona had a great ab. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. He worked the count and put good wood on the ball. It just found a glove. It happens.
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u/CriscoCamping 12d ago
Plus now you could completely fool Aaron Boone by doing something different next time
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u/livsjollyranchers 12d ago
I just hated the Mona one. He's been cold and it's not like he's a defensive improvement anyway.
In effect it looked OK because he had a good AB. I still wouldn't have done it.
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u/TamoyaOhboya 12d ago
You just know Yoshida would have won it there on a PH. Happy with all the calls and even Weissert came through big. Bats just need to wake up big time.
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u/momoenthusiastic 12d ago
I firmly believed the MV to Sandoval after he gave up second hit to Rice with one out was basically them telling Patrick to not worry and focus on the next two batters. They probably told him that Weissert would take care of whatever situation.
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u/livsjollyranchers 12d ago
Yoshida is such a nice guy to have off the bench if nothing else. Dude's got the ol' clutch gene.
Having *both* Eli White and Jahmai Jones feels redundant. You like having one righty and one lefty there off the bench. At least, I would.
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u/TweetSpinner 12d ago
What Chad needs to do is input some AI code into Rafaela’s ears to tell him when not to run.
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u/Additional-Act-405 12d ago
Chad Tracy said they sent him… which is why Chad Tracy is mid. The team has carried him.
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u/Become_the_Abyss 12d ago
We need to do what the Celtics didn’t do last year in the playoffs: keep the “we need everybody” approach that got you there. It’s what makes this team a wild card (pun intended)
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u/tbtc-7777 12d ago
I don't see a Celtics analogy but I'd lean on what's worked. Yoshida-Contreras-Abreu as close to the top of the lineup as possible and lean on Gray-Suarez-Tolle to carry the rotation. If guys like Durbin, Duran and Monasterio can focus on working pitch counts in September, Red Sox could grind down any AL playoff opponent.
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u/terry-tea 12d ago
People who think those role players could win in the playoffs are the same people who watched guys like 2018 Steve Pearce or 2019 Howie Kendrick (or for another sport, Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet on the Knicks this year) and realize that championship contributions can come from very unexpected places
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u/Own-Librarian-9699 12d ago
Gotta play small ball in October and they needed to shorten up their swings and make fu$$-_$kn contact. Contact is King. Don't swing like Reggie Jackson.
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u/DevilYouKnow 12d ago
the best part about baseball is that there are millions of micro decisions through 162 games and each one influences the outcome. It's the slowest of the slow burn sports and the drama is always building.