BOSTON — Eight hits, two homers and three runs qualified as an offensive outburst for a Boston Red Sox club that has struggled mightily to score at home this season.
The Boston offense has been so anemic that, entering Wednesday, it had scored three or fewer runs in 12 of its last 15 home games.
Three runs were just enough Wednesday, as Trevor Story hit a solo shot, his first homer since April 15, and Ceddanne Rafaela crushed a two-run, pinch hit homer to push the Red Sox past the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1. Throughout the season, reading too much into any one solid offensive night has led to disappointment the next.
As the Red Sox have floundered on offense through 42 games, their pitching has kept them from completely bottoming out.
“Despite what we’ve gone through and are going through offensively, we still look up in the sixth (and) seventh, and we’re right in the game with a chance to win, and that’s a credit to the way we’ve pitched,” interim manager Chad Tracy said.
Wednesday, Sonny Gray was the latest starter to buoy the club.
In his second start since spending 15 days on the injured list with a hamstring strain, Gray held the Phillies to one run on two hits (one homer) and a walk, striking out a season-high six batters over six innings. Gray cruised, allowing a homer in the third and a single in the sixth.
Though he has prided himself on his back-to-back 200-strikeout seasons, his strikeout rate in 2026 has been down. Wednesday, he struck out five of the first 12 batters he faced, and he believes he’s trending in the right direction.
“I felt like I left three (strikeouts) out there,” Gray said. “But to have one an inning, at least, feels more normal. Something that I’ve honestly been kind of digging into a little bit because I strike people out and I haven’t been. So, just trying to find a ‘why’ for that, and (I) think I’m getting closer.”
In May, Red Sox pitchers rank second in the American League with a 2.61 ERA. They have allowed three earned runs or fewer in 11 of their last 16 games, with Gray, Brayan Bello, Connelly Early and Payton Tolle doing so twice in that stretch.
“I think pitching is contagious,” Gray said. “I think hitting is contagious. I think winning is contagious. So, I’ve enjoyed watching our staff, and there’s zero part of me that feels complacent or that feels that we’re there. I feel like when you start to feel that way, it’ll come up and find you. I feel we have a good staff, and I feel like you can definitely build off of one another. We’re just going to continue to push forward because I think we could still get better.”
Much of this success on the pitching side has come without ace Garrett Crochet, who has been sidelined since April 26 with left shoulder inflammation. Wednesday, the Red Sox received some good news on Crochet: He threw a 20-pitch bullpen, the first time he has pitched off a mound in the last three weeks.
“Obviously, touching the mound is always a good step,” Crochet said. “Gotta keep building. It’s taking a little bit longer than I had originally hoped, but today was a good day.”
He’ll throw a bullpen this weekend, when he’ll simulate throwing two innings. That will be followed by facing hitters in a live batting practice session. Like Gray, he’s hoping to avoid making a minor-league rehab start.
“As of right now, I don’t intend on taking one,” he said, noting it’s not entirely his decision and that he’ll listen to the medical staff. “We’re trying to win games, so I’d rather not waste innings on a rehab assignment when I feel like I can contribute.”
He hopes to return as soon as possible, even if he’s only able to throw three or four innings in his return start.
Over the past few weeks, Crochet has been doing various shoulder-strengthening exercises, with shoulder stability and rotator cuff strength as the focus.
“It feels a lot better,” he said. “It was weird, kind of just bad mechanics led to compromising my shoulder. So it’s a mix of the two right now, trying to clean up my mechanics while also getting the shoulder back to feeling good.”
Crochet plans to join the club on the upcoming trip to Atlanta and Kansas City to continue his rehab, remain with the medical staff and offer support to his teammates.
“I think it’s important to stay kind of just in lockstep with the team and where they’re at mentally, showing face and being positive,” Crochet said. “You can always use a positive face and voice in the dugout. That’s kind of my role right now.”