Sonny Gray didn’t soften the message after the Boston Red Sox dropped a 4-3 decision to the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park, leaving them buried in last place in the AL East with a 29-43 record and struggling badly in front of the Green Monster.
For a fourth time this season, the Boston Red Sox didn’t just lose at Fenway Park — they let it slip away late.
In a Wednesday afternoon game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Boston tied things in the eighth inning with a pair of home runs from Isaiah Kiner-Falefa and Caleb Durbin. But the relief moment didn’t last. In the top of the ninth. a Red Sox fielding miscue proved costly. and the Blue Jays walked out of Fenway Park with a 4-3 win that also completed a sweep of their three-game series.
Sonny Gray — one of the few bright spots on this Red Sox team — was blunt afterward about what this group looks like right now. “It’s very frustrating, we’re not good,” Gray said. “We’re just not a good team right now. That’s just a fact. We’re not giving up, there’s definitely no give-up.”
It’s not just frustration; it’s a portrait of a team caught in a difficult rhythm. The Red Sox are buried in last place in the American League East with a 29-43 record. and while more than half the season remains. they appear. in Gray’s own words and in the standings. to be a very poor team at this point.
The numbers are especially harsh at Fenway Park. As Boston heads toward the midway point, the Red Sox are 12-25 when playing in front of the Green Monster. They look closer on the road, sitting at 17-18 away from Fenway, but the contrast only makes the home struggles stand out more.
The ninth inning spelled it out.
With two outs and a runner on first base. Aroldis Chapman induced Brandon Valenzuela to hit a foul pop up between home and third base. Connor Wong and Durbin — both key pieces behind the plate and in the infield — didn’t handle the ball adequately. and it fell to the ground. Valenzuela took advantage when he hit a wind-aided fly ball off the wall in left. That allowed Ernie Clement to score the winning run.
By the time Boston returned to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, the damage was already done. The Red Sox went quietly again, leaving yet another home loss on their record.
Some teams can survive a late mistake when the rest of the game is sound. This one can’t seem to build enough of those nights consistently — and with Boston’s place in the AL East already sinking. Gray’s message landed like a reality check rather than an excuse. The season is far from over, but at Fenway Park, the Red Sox keep running out of time.
Boston Red Sox Sonny Gray Toronto Blue Jays Fenway Park Green Monster Isaiah Kiner-Falefa Caleb Durbin Aroldis Chapman Brandon Valenzuela Connor Wong Ernie Clement AL East standings 4-3 loss