Rays 8, Red Sox 4; Can they just keep playing the Tigers?
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 07: Greg Weissert #57 of the Boston Red Sox tosses his glove out of frustration in the dugout after pitching less than an inning in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on May 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images I had a feeling this game wasn’t going to go the Sox way before it even started. To be fair, that isn’t saying much— most games haven’t gone the Sox way this year!
But I knew the vibes would be off as soon as this came across the timeline shortly before the game started: Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony are the two most important players on the Red Sox. As fun as the sweep in Detroit was, it’s going to be really hard for this team to build any sort of momentum without those two guys healthy playing to the best of their abilities. Tonight’s game showed everyone precisely why that is.
The lineup looked punchless, as any lineup with Trevor Story batting cleanup would. The pitching staff couldn’t get big outs when it mattered. And the Sox dropped a listless game to a team they’ll probably need to catch in the standings at some point this season if they’re going to make the playoffs.
Three Studs Jake Bennett Bennett didn’t exactly mow down the opposition. In fact, I would describe his outing as more of the “chugging along” variety. He generated just five swings and misses all night, but managed to keep it close, limit the walks, and pitch into the sixth.
Look, folks, the word “stud” is relative tonight. Tyler Samaniego Like I said, we’re playing a little fast and loose with the studs. Samaniego faced just two batters, coming into the game after Greg Weissert coughed up two runs in the sixth.