For Red Sox, the sudden end to the season is followed by pain and emptiness in the clubhouse after Game 3
“The season coming to an end when you don’t expect it to kind of slaps you in the face,” said Sox ace Garrett Crochet. “It’s just awkward, man. Everyone’s feeling bitter. … Most of us are going to be watching the World Series here in three weeks, wishing it was us, thinking it should’ve been us.”
Realistically, such an outcome was always a long shot, even had the Sox survived their matchup with the Yankees. The team kept springing leaks down the stretch – none bigger than the geyser produced when outfielder Roman Anthony landed on the injured list with an oblique strain.
The loss of an emerging superstar could never be addressed, particularly with third baseman Alex Bregman limited offensively and outfielder Wilyer Abreu out for most of September and then unable to make a meaningful impact once he did return at the end of the season. Abreu was 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in the Wild Card Series.
The Sox scored just six runs in their three-game series against the Yankees. Thursday marked the major league-leading seventh time since Sept. 3 (the Sox’ first game without Anthony) that the team had been held to no more than one run.
The added loss of starter Lucas Giolito to an elbow injury left it unclear how the Sox might be able to cobble together the innings to withstand multiple rounds of the postseason.
Even so, the team had learned to embrace trying to win in forms that came with a high degree of difficulty – and did so just enough down the stretch not only to secure the franchise’s first postseason berth since 2021, but for players to become convinced of the possibility of a title run. The blunt and irreversible end of those aspirations on Thursday night arrived as an emotional wrecking ball.
“It sucks right now,” said catcher Carlos Narváez, who became emotional at times thinking about what had and had not been accomplished – with particular regret that the Sox hadn’t been able to extend the postseason long enough to host a playoff game at Fenway. “It’s difficult to talk.”
Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez couldn’t come up with the ball as Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger scored in the fourth inning.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
“We had an ultimate goal. We didn’t get that done. … This one stings, man. Obviously [losing] here against [the Yankees], it stings, for sure,” said shortstop Trevor Story. “You just want to keep playing, man.”
That opportunity vanished with Thursday’s defeat. The Sox became the first of 16 teams since the introduction of the best-of-three Wild Card Series format to win Game 1 and then lose the next two. As players prepared for an unwanted trip back to Boston, Bregman encouraged them to taste the bile of their circumstance.
“Remember the feeling because it sucks. You don’t want to feel it. Take it into your offseason,” said the third baseman. “This is brutal. We envisioned winning tonight and making a deep run but I’m proud of the fight in the room. I’m proud of the guys. It was an honor to put on this jersey.”
That past-tense declaration immediately highlighted the questions about Bregman’s future. Bregman – who remained at his locker in his uniform for an hour after the end of the game – allowed that “of course” he could imagine a return to Boston in 2026, but said he was simply trying to process Thursday’s loss and hadn’t thought about whether he’ll stay in Boston or exercise his right to opt out of his contract following the first season of a three-year, $120 million deal.
The farewells among players on Thursday night served as a reminder that change is coming this offseason. The group that walked off the field at Yankee Stadium is not the same one that will convene next spring.
Nonetheless, for those members of the team who do return – particularly the young players who experienced a number of career firsts in both the regular season and playoffs – the experience of a series loss in Yankee Stadium could prove formative, a stepping stone to deeper runs in the future.
“We’re hungry,” said Narváez. “We’ve got to keep our head up. This young group is up to big things. The path to a World Series next year starts tomorrow.”
Still, even that determined outlook came with a grim reminder: The music has now stopped. The wait for its resumption will be long.
“It sucks to say right now that we’re looking forward. But ultimately, that’s our reality,” said Crochet. “Right now, it’s kind of that, ‘So what? Next pitch’ mentality. Next pitch for us is in five months.”
Alex Speier can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @alexspeier.
