Boston Red Sox
“At that point we’re trying to win that game. And it didn’t happen.”
The odds were in Alex Cora and the Red Sox’ favor on Wednesday night in New York.
In the three years since MLB changed the format of Wild Card series into a best-of-three set-u, the team that won Game 1 had won each of the 12 series — with 10 of those being sweeps.
The Red Sox found themselves in that same driver’s seat at Yankee Stadium, fresh off of a gutsy win over New York in Game 1 less than 24 hours earlier.
And, with fortune seemingly on Cora’s side, Boston’s manager seemingly dictated Game 2 as if it was indeed a winner-take-all matchup against New York.
Much as he did during Friday’s playoff clincher against Detroit — or in numerous instances during Boston’s 2018 title run — Cora pushed multiple buttons and rolled the dice in an effort to put his team in the best possible spot to deliver a knockout blow.
Cora exhausted his bullpen in an effort to snuff out a potent Yankees lineup for good in 2025. It was a gamble that would pay dividends if rest — and a trip to Toronto — was secured on Wednesday night.
Instead, the Red Sox will play on Thursday.
Boston’s 4-3 setback against New York in Game 2 means that the intertwined rivals will both play with their seasons on the line in a decisive Game 3 in The Bronx.
“At that point we’re trying to win that game,” Cora said postgame of the decision to keep reliever Garrett Whitlock in the game in the eighth inning. “And it didn’t happen.”
Cora’s willingness to keep Whitlock — one of six different relievers called upon Wednesday — out on the mound for a season-high 48 pitches was one of several instances where Cora managed for a win in Game 2.
Some of those risks looked like they were paying off.
Game 2 starter Brayan Bello entered Wednesday’s game with a 1.44 ERA over five starts at Yankee Stadium.
But, after 11 total at-bats, Bello’s first career playoff start came to an end, with Cora pulling the righty after he struggled to string together a clean inning of work.
“It’s a tough lineup, a bunch of lefties,” Cora said about taking Bello out of the game so early. “I thought the at-bats were getting better with the lefties, and we got a bunch of [lefty relievers] in the bullpen. Felt like, at that point, we have to do this.
“It doesn’t feel good, because you want the kid to go out there and get his experience and pitch deep into the game. But I felt like at that moment we needed to pivot.”
Cora’s plan seemed to work. Justin Wilson, Justin Slaten, Steven Matz, Zack Kelly, and Whitlock got Boston through the next 16 outs — with the lone run relinquished off of Jarren Duran dropping a catchable ball off the bat of Aaron Judge in the fifth inning.
But, after Whitlock navigated his way through the seventh inning, Cora opted to keep him in for the eighth in hopes of stretching out what remained of his bullpen.
As dominant as Whitlock has been down the stretch this year, he had not thrown more than 24 pitches in an outing since June 23.
“At that point, we’re all in, right,” Cora said of keeping Whitlock in the game in the eighth. “He’s one of our best pitchers. [The pitch count] just got up there. But we were doing everything possible to get to the top of the ninth with a tie game.”
Taxed beyond his usual workload, Whitlock’s usually-sharp command wilted. After giving up a walk to Jazz Chisholm with two outs in the eighth, Whitlock surrendered a RBI single to Yankees catcher Austin Wells — giving New York a 4-3 lead that it would not cough up.
“Got tired towards the end,” Whitlock said. “Thought I made some good pitches, and they did a good job.”
Beyond the second guesses from an aggressive Cora, Boston can only grimace at the multiple lapses in execution that cost them a chance to punch their ticket to the next round on Wednesday.
There was Duran’s drop in left, squandering a chance for Slaten to post a clean fifth inning before Trevor Story’s solo shot in the following frame.
A miserable seventh inning saw Ceddanne Rafaela unable to move two baserunners over via a sacrifice bunt, with the outfielder popping up his attempt over to Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz for a back-breaking out.
There was speedster Nate Eaton stopping while rounding third as Ben Rice bobbled a ball at first — negating a chance for Boston to take a 4-3 lead in that same seventh inning.
And there were three total double plays for the Red Sox on a night where Boston had multiple instances to either string together some momentum or put New York’s pitching on the ropes.
The frustrations born out of Wednesday’s loss can be absolved on Thursday if Boston bounces back and secures a win in Game 3.
But, Cora’s moves and his players’ miscues loom large over a roster that could be running on fumes in a one-game playoff.
Boston’s season will now rest on the performance of rookie starter Connelly Early, who logged all of 19 innings pitched in the big leagues in September. Behind him? A bullpen now featuring several tired arms — with Whitlock now potentially out of the equation.
Cora went all in on Wednesday to avoid a fate that has now befallen a depleted Boston roster.
“This is what baseball is all about,” Alex Bregman said postgame. “Two great teams competing. Unbelievable atmosphere. Yeah, it’s a lot of fun. Looking forward to tomorrow.”
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