The Red Sox bullpen collapses in a 9-5 loss to the Angels on June 23, 2025, despite a hot bat from Wilyer Abreu. Garrett Whitlock takes the loss.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you thought the Red Sox might be turning a corner, Monday night in Anaheim felt like a painful step back. A hard-fought game turned sour in a hurry, as a 5-5 tie evaporated in a four-run eighth inning, handing the Angels a 9-5 victory and Boston another frustrating loss. The defeat stings not just for the way it happened, but for the dark cloud that gathered over the pitching staff even before the first pitch.
With the loss, the Red Sox' playoff odds now sit at a tenuous 46.6%.
For seven innings, it was a classic back-and-forth affair. Wilyer Abreu continued his torrid pace, providing a spark for the Boston offense. But the bullpen, a source of inconsistency all season, couldn't hold the line. Garrett Whitlock took the loss after the Angels' eighth-inning explosion, driven by a monster night from Zach Neto who went 3-for-4 with a homer. It was a deflating end to a game that felt winnable, a narrative that has played out too many times for this 40-39 ballclub.
The loss was compounded by news from the training room. Right-hander Hunter Dobbins, a steady presence in the rotation, was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain. In his place, Richard Fitts gets another shot, recalled from Triple-A Worcester. While Fitts has shown flashes, losing Dobbins (4.10 ERA in 12 appearances) is a significant blow to a staff already stretched thin. It puts immense pressure on the remaining starters and the very bullpen that faltered in Anaheim.
There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The cavalry might be coming, but not a moment too soon. Tanner Houck is slated for another rehab start in Worcester today, June 24, and could be back in the big-league rotation by early July. Even sooner, reliever Jordan Hicks, who began his own rehab assignment, could be activated as early as this Friday, June 27. These potential returns are critical, especially with the concerning news that Justin Slaten is still not cleared to throw while awaiting MRI results on his shoulder.
Sitting at 40-39 and in 4th place in a brutal AL East, the Red Sox are at a tipping point. Monday's loss was a microcosm of their season: promising, yet ultimately undone by a lack of pitching depth. The next two weeks are crucial. They need to find a way to win games while they wait for Houck and Hicks to return. The path to October is still there, but it's getting narrower with every bullpen collapse and every new entry on the injured list. All eyes are on how they bounce back in game two against the Angels.
