Yankees Sweep Red Sox as Gray Questions Fifth-Inning Removal

The New York Yankees swept the Boston Red Sox in their two-game American League Wild Card Series, ending Boston’s 2026 season and prompting questions about manager Chad Tracy’s decision to remove starter Sonny Gray in the fifth inning of the final game. Gray left with two outs, runners at the corners and Boston trailing 1-0. He had thrown 70 pitches and allowed one run on five hits over 4⅔ innings, with five strikeouts. The Yankees scored against reliever Erik Miller after Gray departed, and later added runs in a six-run inning to put the game out of reach. Reports differed on the final score, giving it as either 9-1 or 9-2. After the game, Gray said he felt sharp and wanted Tracy to trust him in that situation. He said he was frustrated that his season had ended and believed he could continue pitching effectively as the Yankees’ lineup came around for a third time. Gray had allowed a solo home run and several singles, but said he felt strong and was executing his pitches. Tracy said Boston was trailing and struggling to score, so he wanted to pursue a matchup against left-handed batter Cody Bellinger.