Sonny Gray Questions Early Exit in Red Sox Wild-Card Loss to Yankees

Sonny Gray threw 70 pitches across 4⅔ innings before Red Sox manager Chad Tracy pulled him in the fifth inning of a game Boston trailed 1-0, a decision that preceded a 9-2 Game 2 wild-card loss to the Yankees on Wednesday night that ended the team's season, according to the New York Post.

What were the numbers on Gray's final start of the season?

• Pitch count: 70
• Innings pitched: 4⅔
• Earned runs: 2
• Hits allowed: 6
• Strikeouts: 5
• Final score: Yankees 9, Red Sox 2

Gray had allowed one solo home run to Luis Garcia Jr. before the move, per the Post's account of the game.

Why did Chad Tracy pull Gray in the fifth inning?

Tracy made the change after Ben Rice singled with two outs in the fifth, advancing Austin Wells to third base. The manager brought in left-handed reliever Erik Miller, who allowed an RBI single to Cody Bellinger that pushed the Yankees' lead to 2-0, the Post reported. The score stood at 9-2 by the final out.

What did Sonny Gray say after the loss?

Gray, 36, told reporters he believed he should have stayed in the game for a third pass through the Yankees' lineup.

"I'm the best pitcher in the American League going through the order for a third time. I think that's a fact," Gray said, per the New York Post. "I would've liked to live or die with me in that moment but that's the competitor I am."

Gray added that he felt he "stayed on the attack throughout" and that he had not spoken with Tracy about the decision as of his postgame comments. "I'm frustrated, for sure," he said. "Not ready for it to end. A lot of emotions."

How did the rest of the bullpen factor in?

Miller's outing extended the damage immediately after he entered, with Bellinger's single making it 2-0 before the Yankees pulled away to the 9-2 final. The Post noted Red Sox third baseman Willson Contreras declined to answer when asked about the team's reaction to Gray's early exit, instead gesturing that his "lips are sealed."

What is the sequence of events in Game 2?

• Early innings: Gray holds the Yankees to a 1-0 deficit through 4⅔ innings, surrendering one solo homer to Luis Garcia Jr.
• Fifth inning: Ben Rice singles with two outs, moving Wells to third; Tracy removes Gray at 70 pitches.
• Reliever change: Erik Miller enters and allows an RBI single to Bellinger, making it 2-0.
• Final result: Yankees finish the game 9-2, sweeping the wild-card series and ending Boston's season.

What comes next for the Red Sox and Gray?

The loss closes Boston's 2026 season, with the Yankees advancing to the ALDS against a divisional rival, according to the Post's coverage. No contract or offseason-status figures for Gray were included in the available reporting.