Chad Tracy has taken responsibility for the decision to pull Sonny Gray early in the Boston Red Sox’s season-ending loss to the New York Yankees. Tracy said the move was his call after Boston fell 9-2 in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series.
Gray was removed with two outs in the fifth inning and Boston trailing 1-0. He had thrown 70 pitches and allowed two runs on six hits with five strikeouts before Erik Miller replaced him.
The decision drew attention because Gray had put together one of the best regular seasons of his career. He finished 18-5 with a 2.72 ERA, 149 strikeouts and a 1.15 WHIP across 29 starts.
According to Foul Territory on X, Tracy said the decision was his and that he wanted to dispel the idea that decisions were made before games through a predetermined plan or computer. His comments came after Gray openly expressed frustration with the early hook following Boston’s elimination.
Gray said he wanted the chance to face Cody Bellinger for a third time through the lineup. He had held opposing hitters to a .180 average the third time through during the regular season, which was the best mark among qualified American League pitchers.
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The decision became more difficult to defend when Miller allowed an RBI single to Bellinger after replacing Gray. The Yankees then broke the game open with a six-run sixth inning, turning a one-run game into a 9-2 victory and completing the two-game sweep.
Boston’s season ended after a dramatic turnaround that saw the Red Sox recover from a 32-46 start and make the postseason. They finished 87-75, third in the AL East behind the Tampa Bay Rays and Yankees, before being outscored 18-2 in the Wild Card Series.
Tracy’s explanation now provides more context for one of the biggest decisions of Boston’s short postseason run. With the Red Sox eliminated, the focus shifts to the offseason and whether the club will continue with Tracy while determining Gray’s future after a standout 2026 campaign.
