First pitch at 1:35 PM ET, and Boston hands the ball to its lone stabilizer. Sonny Gray is 8-1 with a 3.03 ERA and has been even sharper at Fenway, while Trey Yesavage counters at 3-3, 3.78 — coming off a 5-inning, 6-walk survival job against the Yankees that he somehow won.
The Blue Jays didn't need much offense to take the first two. Tuesday was a George Springer night — he hit the 300th home run of his career in a 6-1 win behind 5 shutout from Dylan Cease. Wednesday turned into a scramble after Max Scherzer hit the 15-day IL with back spasms, and Toronto still ran out a bullpen game, used 7 pitchers, and shut Boston out 3-0. Andrés Giménez stole 3 bases. Yariel Rodríguez and Brendon Little held things down, Varland struck out the side for the save.
That shutout is the cleanest snapshot of what's wrong here. Boston went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The Red Sox have scored just 22 runs in June, fewest in the AL, and interim manager Chad Tracy has been openly frustrated with how passive his lineup has gotten in the zone. Without Roman Anthony (finger, still not swinging a bat) and Triston Casas (knee, just now cleared to start light swings), there isn't a ton of cavalry coming this week.
- Day-To-DayGeovanny Jesus Planchart C — no
- Day-To-DayChay Yeager RP — Yeager will undergo season-ending UCL surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- 10-Day-ILDaulton Varsho CF — Varsho (wrist) is beginning to feel better and resumed hitting in the batting cages Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports
- 10-Day-ILAddison Barger RF — The Blue Jays are hoping to send Barger (elbow) on a rehab assignment next week, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
- 10-Day-ILLenyn Sosa 2B — Sosa went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, an additional run and an additional RBI on Saturday against the Twins in an 11-4 victory.
- 15-Day-ILMax Scherzer SP — The Blue Jays placed Scherzer on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to back spasms.
- developmental listFernando Perez P
- 60-Day-ILYimi Garcia RP — Garcia (elbow) struck out the side Tuesday for Triple-A Buffalo and is scheduled for another rehab outing Thursday, reports Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca.
- Day-To-DayHobie Harris RP — Harris was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILRoman Anthony LF — Anthony (finger) underwent a follow-up MRI on Tuesday that came back clean, but he's not yet cleared to swing a bat, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
- 10-Day-ILNick Sogard 3B — Sogard (oblique) told reporters Friday that he plans to start swinging a bat Monday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
- developmental listNoah Song SP — Song (elbow) was reinstated from Double-A Portland's 7-day injured list Friday and made his 2025 debut for the affiliate in relief Sunday, striking out one and issuing one walk over a scoreless inning.
- 15-Day-ILJovani Moran RP — The Red Sox placed Moran on the 15-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to Friday, with left elbow inflammation, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.
- 60-Day-ILPatrick Sandoval SP — Sandoval (biceps) went three innings, allowing one earned run on one hit and one walk while striking out four Wednesday for Double-A Portland, reports Christopher Smith of MassLive.com.
- 60-Day-ILRomy Gonzalez 1B — Gonzalez (shoulder) went 1-for-2 with a walk and a two-run home run for Double-A Portland on Tuesday.
- 60-Day-ILGarrett Crochet SP — Crochet (shoulder/lat) began throwing a plyometric ball Tuesday as the first step of his throwing program, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
Gray is the great equalizer though. He's the reason Boston is 7-3 in his starts, posted a 2.00 ERA in May, and the Red Sox really do not want to think about what 0-3 to Toronto looks like sitting at 29-43. Yesavage, meanwhile, has walked 6 in a start twice this year. If Boston's bats can stop trying to crush every first pitch and just take a free base, the script flips fast.
The angle on a 1:35 getaway day: short benches, a Toronto bullpen that's been worked hard, and a Boston club that has to know it's about to get swept at home if it doesn't show up. Gray gives them a real chance. Whether the lineup gives him anything to work with is the whole question.