Adley Rutschman reaches three times in debut, but Chad Tracy’s pitching decisions loom large in fourth straight loss

Well, don’t look now, but the Red Sox have quickly hit their first real skid in nearly two months.

Boston dropped its fourth straight game Tuesday night, falling 5-3 to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre despite doing a much better job against Dylan Cease than it did less than three weeks ago at Fenway Park.

It was a game the Red Sox had a chance to steal. 

They pushed Cease to 104 pitches in just five innings, hit a pair of home runs against the All-Star and had opportunities late. Instead, another poor night with runners in scoring position and some questionable handling of the pitching staff by interim manager Chad Tracy helped send them to another loss.

The Red Sox finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine. They have now lost four straight for the first time since June 14-18. Their only five-game losing streak of the season came during the opening road trip through Cincinnati and Houston.

Patrick Sandoval gave Boston a chance, but Tracy may have pushed him an inning too far.

Sandoval worked into the sixth for the first time since joining the Red Sox, but there was traffic throughout his outing. He allowed eight hits and three walks, and with the game tied 3-3 in the sixth, he walked George Springer before allowing a single to Alejandro Kirk.

Still, nobody was warming in the Boston bullpen.

Ernie Clement followed with a fielder’s choice that brought home Springer and gave Toronto a 4-3 lead. Sandoval managed to strand two runners and finish the inning, but his night ended after 84 pitches. He allowed four runs, only two earned, over six innings.

“Going six is fine. Giving up the lead’s not ideal,” Sandoval said. “Just disappointed I couldn’t pick our guys up when they’ve been picking us up all year.”

Tracy’s bullpen decisions remained a storyline late in a close game. 

Tyron Guerrero worked a scoreless seventh with Boston trailing by one. When the Red Sox failed to score in the eighth, Tracy turned to newly recalled Seth Martinez instead of Garrett Whitlock to keep it a one-run game.

“We’re still in a position, too, where we have to be careful with when we chase (wins) and when we don’t,” Tracy explained. “Obviously, we used Guerrero for an inning. You look at that before the game and decide, ‘How much are we willing to chase?’ We’ll chase with one guy, but doing it with two or three guys, then (you’re) having to deal with it on the back side.?

Martinez, who entered with a 5.55 ERA at Triple-A Worcester, couldn’t do it.

He allowed a leadoff single and later hit Andrés Giménez with two outs before Myles Straw ripped an RBI double into left field to extend Toronto’s lead to 5-3.

Tracy told reporters that he didn’t want to go to his bullpen earlier because he’s still trying to get some key relievers rest. 

“The efficiency (goes) into it for sure, but also with the condition of the ‘pen, (it’s) how much we’ve used them,” Tracy said. “(Sandoval) was in a good spot, and when it got to that area, it was still a lefty pocket and we’re gonna let him go there. He was throwing the ball well.”

The way Tracy managed his pitching staff was arguably one of his worst games since taking over as interim manager. He left Sandoval in too long in the sixth, then turned to Martinez, who has been ineffective for the WooSox this season, in a high-leverage spot with the Red Sox down just one run. It felt more like managing a Triple-A game than managing a team in the thick of a playoff race.

That insurance run proved important because, once again, the Red Sox threatened late.

Jarren Duran drew a one-out walk in the eighth but was thrown out trying to steal second in a one-run game. He’s now been caught stealing four times this season, three shy of his career-high. 

Boston made things interesting again in the ninth when Masataka Yoshida ripped a one-out double against Spencer Miles, putting the tying run in the on-deck circle. Giménez then made a terrific diving stop to retire Ceddanne Rafaela, leaving the stage set for Adley Rutschman to potentially play hero in his Red Sox debut.

Instead, Rutschman grounded softly to the third baseman Charles McAdoo, who was playing closer to the shortstop than the hot corner to end the game.

It was an otherwise encouraging debut for Boston’s biggest trade-deadline acquisition. Activated from the injured list Tuesday after a brief rehab stint in Worcester, Rutschman reached base three times. 

He struck out in his first Red Sox plate appearance before collecting his first hit with the organization, a softly hit infield single up the middle in the third. He walked in both the fifth and seventh before making the final out in the ninth.

“Really nice to get out there and play today,” Rutschman said. “The guys have a ton of energy. They’re rolling. It’s nice to be out there.”

Toronto never tested Rutschman’s throwing arm, and he went 1-for-2 on ABS challenges behind the plate.

“He was fine,” said Tracy. “He looked good, looked comfortable, looked confident. Liked the buttons behind the plate, worked with Sandy really well, took some good ABs. It was good.”

Rutschman is expected to catch again on Wednesday and will sit on Thursday as the Red Sox look to ease him back into the mix. 

To make room for Rutschman, Boston designated Jake Rogers for assignment prior to the game, ending the veteran catcher’s brief stay with the club. Rogers was acquired alongside Rutschman from Baltimore at the deadline to provide catching depth while Rutschman finished his rehab. 

Rogers made the most of his limited opportunity, going 3-for-6 with two doubles, two RBI and two walks in nine plate appearances while catching 22 innings. Wherever Rogers lands next, it'll be his fourth team this season, after playing for the Tigers, Orioles, and Sox. He was Tarik Skubal's personal catcher during their time in Detroit; making the Dodgers a potential landing spot with their catching issues this season. 

The Red Sox had far more success against Cease this time around after he held them to one hit over nine innings at Fenway on July 25.

Andruw Monasterio walked and Nick Sogard singled in the first before Rafaela lifted a sacrifice fly to center to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. Unlike Monday night’s bizarre sacrifice fly that required a lengthy rules discussion, there was nothing complicated about this one.

Wilyer Abreu added to the lead in the fourth, launching a solo homer for his 21st of the season and sixth in his last 11 games.

Rafaela followed with a blast of his own in the fifth, crushing the first pitch he saw 411 feet to straightaway center for his 16th homer. That tied his career high, set in 2024, with plenty of season remaining.

Cease ultimately allowed three runs on five hits and four walks while striking out seven over five innings.

Unfortunately for Boston, the offense couldn’t do enough with the opportunities it created.

The fifth inning proved especially costly defensively.

Caleb Durbin had already helped turn two double plays when he booted a grounder off the bat of Straw that could have resulted in another. The error opened the door for two unearned runs against Sandoval and allowed Toronto to tie the game.

Abreu prevented further damage with an excellent play in right. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lined a ball down the right-field line, and Abreu fired to second to catch Guerrero trying to advance while Brett Bateman was held at third.

Durbin endured a rough night beyond the error, finishing 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

Willson Contreras also continues to look less than 100 percent. After flying out in his first plate appearance, Contreras was seen grabbing at his hamstring but remained in the game.

He finished 0-for-4 with a strikeout and has just one home run over his last 18 games dating back to July 20. Given how productive Contreras has been all season, a brief offensive dip isn’t overly concerning, but his health is something worth watching.

The Red Sox aren’t getting blown out during this four-game skid. They’ve had opportunities to tie or win late in each of the last four games.

They just haven’t made the plays they were making routinely during their remarkable run.

Boston will try to stop the skid Wednesday night behind Ranger Suarez (4-3, 3.32 ERA). Toronto will counter with newly acquired right-hander José Soriano (9-6, 3.24 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. ET.