The Rays' offense went silent in a 1-0 loss to the Red Sox on July 13, 2025, as Garrett Crochet tossed a gem and Brandon Lowe hit the IL. Read more.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a day that felt all too familiar for Rays fans. Despite a quality start from Shane Baz, the offense went completely silent, resulting in a frustrating 1-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The defeat was handed to them by All-Star Garrett Crochet, who was simply untouchable, tossing his first career complete-game shutout and leaving a struggling Rays team searching for answers.
The Rays have now lost 10 of their last 13 games and are 2-7 on their current 10-game road trip.
The game was a classic pitcher's duel, but the Rays were on the wrong side of it. Shane Baz (8-5) took the tough-luck loss, allowing just one unearned run over 6 1/3 solid innings. That single run came in the fourth, when a Carlos Narváez single slipped just under Taylor Wells' glove. The Rays' best chance to answer was snuffed out in the sixth inning. With runners on the corners, a daring suicide squeeze attempt by Ha-Seong Kim was foiled by a perfect throw from Abraham Toro to catcher Narváez, ending the threat and sealing the team's offensive fate.
The bad news wasn't confined to the field. The team placed second baseman Brandon Lowe on the 10-day injured list with left oblique tightness, a significant blow to an already sputtering offense. First baseman Curtis Mead was recalled from Triple-A Durham to fill the roster spot. Meanwhile, the front office is trying to shore up the pitching staff, acquiring right-hander Bryan Baker from the division-rival Orioles for a draft pick. Baker is expected to provide a fresh arm for a bullpen that's been heavily taxed during this brutal stretch.
While the present looks bleak, there are glimmers of hope for the pitching staff. Ace left-hander Shane McClanahan has officially begun a rehab assignment with the FCL Rays, a massive step in his recovery. He's joined by righty Manuel Rodríguez, who is continuing his own rehab stint in Durham. Getting one, let alone both, of these arms back in the big league rotation and bullpen later this month could be the jolt this team desperately needs to stabilize and get back on track.
The Rays face a crucial finale in Boston, not just to avoid a demoralizing four-game sweep, but to find any spark that can ignite a turnaround. With the offense in a deep freeze and the pitching staff in flux, the coming weeks will test the team's resilience and determine if they can pull out of this nosedive and get back into the playoff hunt.
