Monday was the get-right game the Red Sox desperately needed

Red Sox snap skid with dominant win over Diamondbacks

The Boston Red Sox returned home Monday and delivered the kind of performance interim manager Chad Tracy had been hoping for, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 11-1 at Fenway Park. The victory snapped a 2-7 slide that had followed a scorching six-week stretch from July to mid-August, and came on the heels of a 2-5 road trip against the Blue Jays and Pirates.

Tracy had kept his expectations modest before the game, telling reporters he was looking for a timely hit or two from a lineup that had batted just .171 (13-for-76) with runners in scoring position during the nine-game skid. He also preached patience for a slumping Adley Rutschman, who entered the night hitting .059 with nine strikeouts in 17 at-bats.

"No secret over the last week or so that [we're] grinding offensively," Tracy said. "And we weren't today. So it was great to see — up and down the lineup — contributions everywhere. Hard-hit balls. Really, really good offensive output by the entire group."

Offense erupts as all nine starters drive in runs

The Red Sox wasted little time breaking through, as all nine players in the starting lineup recorded at least one RBI — just the fourth time that has happened since 2000. The team also finished the nine-inning game without a strikeout, a feat they had not accomplished since April 23, 2010.

Rutschman went 2-for-5 with an RBI double, breaking out of his slump. Ceddanne Rafaela finished 3-for-5 with three doubles, while Wilyer Abreu drove in two runs, Nick Sogard roped two doubles, and Caleb Durbin reached base four times. Mickey Gasper hit his first home run in a Red Sox uniform, and Wyatt Olds struck out two in his first big-league appearance.

Willson Contreras also made history, hitting his 25th home run of the season — a new career high. Contreras said after the game that he felt good to finally overcome the 24-homer mark and called it a dream come true.

Bello shines in relief again

On the mound, Brayan Bello continued his remarkable run as a reliever, allowing one run over 4.2 innings to earn the win. Bello now owns a 0.85 ERA in 52.2 innings out of the bullpen this season, a role he has embraced after being converted from a starter.

Tracy credited Bello's performance, calling him a "human life preserver" for a pitching staff that has been stretched thin in recent weeks.

Bullpen reinforcements on the horizon

The Red Sox followed Monday's win with a 9-4 victory over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, extending their positive momentum. The team also received encouraging news on the pitching front, as Sports Illustrated reported that Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten are both on the Injured List without structural damage in their elbows.

Garrett Crochet, who was drafted in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft and debuted in September 2020, told Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com that if he returns this season, it would "million percent" be in a relief role. Crochet, who made five scoreless relief appearances in 2020 and posted a 2.82 ERA in 54 relief appearances for the White Sox in 2021, said he would likely only be able to build up to two innings at a time given the schedule.

Tanner Houck, meanwhile, faced hitters for the first time since Tommy John surgery, as reported by Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Houck, who had an 8.04 ERA in nine starts in 2025 before his elbow surgery, posted a 3.12 ERA in 30 starts in 2024 and worked primarily out of the bullpen in 2022 with a 3.15 ERA in 60 innings.

With Whitlock, Slaten, Crochet, and Houck all potentially available down the stretch, Boston's bullpen — already the only one in baseball with a sub-3.00 ERA (2.93) — could add even more firepower. Roman Anthony and Trevor Story are also on minor league rehab assignments and could return soon.

Outlook

While one blowout win doesn't completely erase the shortcomings of the past two weeks, the Red Sox head into the remainder of their series against Arizona with renewed confidence. Tracy's message of patience and contribution from the entire lineup was answered emphatically, and the pitching staff appears poised to get healthier as the season enters its final stretch.