In the tigers - red sox game, Sonny Gray exited in the third inning with right hamstring tightness. The Red Sox still beat the Tigers 8-6 on Marathon Monday. Boston leaned on seven relievers and rallied to a win despite the early loss of its starter.
Sonny Gray Third-Inning Exit
Gray left after 41 pitches in the third inning with right hamstring tightness. He had allowed one run over 2 2/3 innings before departing, and his season numbers stand at a 4.30 earned run average and a 13% strikeout rate across 23 innings.
Rafaela Game-Winning RBI Single
Rafaela delivered the decisive blow with a game-winning RBI single in the seventh inning that pushed Boston ahead in the eight-run game. The Red Sox offense produced the necessary runs to overcome a bullpen that was pressed into extended duty; Boston used seven relievers to finish the contest.
Alex Cora's Bullpen Usage
Manager Alex Cora emptied the relief corps to cover innings after Gray's exit, leaving only Jack Anderson unused among the relievers mentioned. Ryan Watson was one of the arms who appeared, and the Italian Stallion and Mr. Whit cleaned up a big mess inherited from the bullpen to protect the late lead.
Roman helped at the plate as well: his exit velocity sits at a career high, and his decision making improved in the game, both contributions that helped produce the eight runs Boston scored. The bullpen work amounted to 3.2 innings of high-leverage relief in spots, with five earned runs charged overall in the game.
Tension arrived in roster form the next day: Boston was set to place Gray on the 15-day injured list and recall Tyler Samaniego, who had three scoreless appearances in an earlier stint with the big club. Gray missed time with strains of the same hamstring in 2022 and 2024, making this recurrence especially consequential for rotation planning.
Gray will be eligible to return on May 6, and the immediate question for Boston is whether the relievers who covered the Detroit start can absorb the workload until then. If the bullpen cannot, the club's recent heavy usage before divisional series against the Yankees, Orioles and Blue Jays — and before the April 30 off day — will force clearer roster decisions.
