Red Sox fall to Blue Jays 5-3 on June 29 as Walker Buehler falters early and Zack Kelly exits with an injury, extending Boston's frustrating losing streak.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It's a familiar, frustrating feeling at Fenway Park. The Boston Red Sox, once again, found themselves on the wrong end of the score, falling 5-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays and cementing another series loss. A disastrous first inning for starter Walker Buehler set a tone the team couldn't shake, extending their miserable slide to seven losses in their last eight games.
The Red Sox are now just 1-4 with a 7.80 ERA in Walker Buehler's last six starts.
The game was practically over before the Fenway faithful had settled in their seats. Walker Buehler's command issues were on full display as he served up consecutive home runs to Addison Barger and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the first inning. He never found his rhythm, laboring through four innings and allowing five earned runs while walking four. The offense tried to claw back, with a homer from Carlos Narváez and an RBI double from Ceddanne Rafaela, but it wasn't nearly enough to overcome the early deficit created by their struggling starter. Yariel Rodríguez got the win for Toronto, and Jeff Hoffman shut the door for his 18th save.
As if the loss wasn't painful enough, the Red Sox bullpen took another hit. Reliever Zack Kelly was forced to exit the game in the middle of an at-bat, walking off the mound with a trainer due to right oblique tightness. While the team awaits a full diagnosis, any time missed by a key reliever is a blow to a club already struggling for stability. It's the last thing a team in a tailspin needs.
Amidst the sea of bad news, there are two pillars of excellence standing tall. As the All-Star Game approaches, it's clear that lefty ace Garrett Crochet and veteran closer Aroldis Chapman are Boston's lone bright spots. Crochet has been nothing short of spectacular, leading all of MLB with 135 strikeouts to go with a sparkling 2.06 ERA. At 37, Chapman has turned back the clock, posting a 1.36 ERA and converting 14 of 15 save opportunities. Their impending selections are a well-deserved honor, though it's a bittersweet recognition for a team struggling to find its footing.
For fans tired of the big-league product, the future remains incredibly bright. Even with the recent promotions of Kristian Campbell and Carlos Narváez, Boston's farm system is still unanimously ranked as the best in baseball. Top prospect Roman Anthony is knocking on the door, and a wave of high-ceiling pitchers like Payton Tolle, Brandon Clarke, and Connelly Early are developing rapidly. This rare surplus of pitching talent in the minors provides a clear path forward and a reason to believe that these dark days won't last forever.
While the present is painful, the combination of All-Star-caliber talent at the top and an elite farm system bubbling just below the surface offers a unique kind of hope. But hope doesn't win ballgames tomorrow. The Red Sox need to find answers, and fast. They need more from their starting rotation, better health, and a spark to pull them out of this nosedive before the season slips away entirely.
