The Boston Red Sox faced a devastating 13-5 loss to the Houston Astros, causing their playoff hopes to diminish significantly. In a crucial game against a team above them in the standings, the Red Sox held a one-run lead with only 12 outs left. However, what followed was a disheartening collapse on the part of the Red Sox, with the Astros scoring six runs in the sixth inning and adding two more in both the seventh and eighth innings, all at the expense of relief pitcher Kyle Barraclough.
One of the most puzzling aspects of the game was the fact that no one in the Red Sox bullpen stirred as Barraclough struggled on the mound. Even as the Astros batted around and sent 12 men to the plate in the sixth inning, there was no action from the bullpen. Barraclough walked four batters and hit two others in the inning, exposing the Red Sox’s inability to contain the Astros’ offense.
As the game progressed, Barraclough continued to struggle, giving up yet another hit-by-pitch in the seventh inning and surrendering a two-run homer to Jose Altuve in the eighth inning. Altuve’s home run was particularly significant as it allowed him to hit for the cycle, making him the first Astros player to achieve this feat in a decade. The scoreboard began to resemble a pinball machine with lights flashing and the Astros’ lead steadily increasing.
The loss was undoubtedly one of the ugliest the Red Sox have suffered all season, and it dealt a major blow to their dwindling chances of making it to the playoffs. With just 30 games remaining, the Red Sox are now 5.5 games behind the third wild-card spot.
Prior to the game, Red Sox manager Alex Cora had hoped to reset the bullpen for the Houston series by using Chris Murphy for four innings and 90 pitches in the previous game. However, that plan did not materialize as several of the team’s high leverage set-up relievers, including Nick Pivetta, John Schreiber, Garrett Whitlock, and Josh WInckowski, were severely fatigued from recent work. The decision to stick with Barraclough was not a message to management, but rather a consequence of limited options due to the exhausted bullpen.
Cora acknowledged the challenging schedule, with the Red Sox playing 16 games in a row without a day off, which takes a toll on the relievers. He expressed confidence in the team’s process and medical staff but admitted that there are limits to how much they can push the pitchers before risking injury.
The Red Sox had initially hoped that Barraclough could provide two innings to bridge the gap to late-inning relievers Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen. However, Barraclough’s inability to contain the Astros’ offense quickly dashed those hopes. Even if the Red Sox had another pitcher ready in the bullpen, the constant influx of baserunners by the Astros made it nearly impossible to stop the bleeding.
Cora expressed regret for leaving Barraclough on the mound for four innings, calling it an uncomfortable decision. He compared it to the situation last week when the Red Sox had a massive lead against the Astros and used a position player to pitch the ninth inning to save the bullpen. Ultimately, the Astros made a comeback, and the Red Sox wanted to avoid a similar situation this time.
Looking ahead, Cora remains optimistic that the Red Sox will be in better shape for the next game against the Astros. He believes they will have more options available and is confident that they can bounce back from this devastating loss. However, the question remains whether it is too late for the Red Sox to salvage their dwindling playoff chances.
In conclusion, the Red Sox suffered a major setback with their playoff hopes diminishing after a devastating loss to the Astros. The collapse of their bullpen and the inability to contain the Astros’ offense led to a blowout defeat. Red Sox manager Alex Cora faced limited options due to exhausted relievers, and his decision to stick with Kyle Barraclough did not pan out. The team now faces an uphill battle as they try to make up ground in the remaining games and keep their playoff dreams alive.
