​The Red Sox didn’t roll into Citi Field until 5:05 PM for a 7:15 first pitch, so late that the start had to be pushed back to 7:50. The near-miss of timing seemed poised to be a negative omen, yet somehow that’s being spun as a positive for this team. Once Sonny Gray settled in and Anthony Siegler’s ball clanked off the left-field foul pole, the game felt effectively decided. Who needs to arrive five hours early anyway?
Gray pitched six innings, allowing five hits, one earned run, one walk, and three strikeouts. Not his peppiest outing, perhaps, but he kept a Mets lineup at bay long enough for the Red Sox offense to take over—precisely what you want from a starter on a short travel turnaround like this. The lone earned run was forgivable; everything else matched what this team needed from him. That’s why he’s such a valuable asset to the 2026 Red Sox—a true workhorse.
Holding a precarious 2-1 lead in the seventh, Siegler’s two-run blast off the foul pole felt like a breath of fresh air, a moment that underscored the game being firmly in Boston’s control. After that, the Mets looked adrift. Wilyer Abreu punctuated the night in the ninth with a two-run homer of his own, making the late innings feel even more decisive. If only he could remember to torment right-handers with the same frequency. In the ninth, Brett Baty did homer off Greg Weissert for a solo shot with two outs to make it 6-2, a cosmetic tally at best, tucked away in the footnotes.
Seven wins in a row. 15-5 in their last 20. The fielding question marks are easing as the offense begins to hum in earnest. The two-run homer that Siegler delivered off the foul pole was the kind of swing that can alter a game’s entire complexion, flipping a close one into a decisive Boston night. Siegler has been exactly what this lineup needs when healthy, and tonight he was absolutely on point. The Apple TV broadcast—fairly solid tonight—described Siegler as a shot of caffeine for the team, and there’s truth in that assessment.
Also worth noting: Siegler’s moment carried a fun bit of trivia—only the second Navajo player ever in MLB history, second to Jacoby Ellsbury. The ninth inning’s exclamation point came courtesy of Abreu, who’d been a touch quiet lately. His two-run homer plus a strong late-inning display offered a reassuring sign as the All-Star break approaches. His arm also saved a run by preventing a tagging from third in the eighth—those are the playing-time details that often go unseen but can swing outcomes and momentum.
Not every night needs to be a masterpiece, and this one wasn’t. The Red Sox were navigating travel logistics and pregame chaos, yet Gray went out and delivered six solid innings anyway. You’d worry that the travel hiccup might derail things, but there was no derailment tonight. Gray was steady and efficient, providing a workmanlike performance that, on a night like this, fulfilled the team’s needs.
The night belonged to solid pitching, timely hitting, and a lineup that finally showed the depth and punch to carry a game through the late innings. The offense, buoyed by Siegler’s timely blast and Abreu’s late burst, looked vibrant and capable. It’s reasonable to believe the Red Sox are finding their stride, and with a seven-game winning streak and a strong stretch of play dating back across the last several games, optimism about this team’s direction is growing stronger by the week as they head toward the upcoming break.