Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-06 · by Kyle Hightower The Associated Press
Craig Breslow and Chad Tracy of the Boston Red Sox defended their use of analytics during the team's postseason, pushing back on criticisms from players like Willson Contreras who argued that reliance on data compromised in-game decision-making. Speaking after the team’s elimination by the New York Yankees for a second consecutive year, Breslow emphasized the continued importance of scouts within the organization and Tracy denied having any predetermined scripts or input from upper management regarding specific game decisions. The article focuses on the Red Sox's attempt to clarify their approach to integrating analytics with traditional baseball strategies in response to recent controversies.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
After getting eliminated from the playoffs by the rival New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card Series for the second consecutive year, several Boston Red Sox players questioned the role analytics played in some in-game decisions.
asserted
analytics → eliminate → decisions
“It’s not enough when you have talent or you have data or you have computers that’s telling you what to do, because this is baseball,” Contreras said last week after the Red Sox pulled both their starting pitchers in the fifth inning of close games against New York only to get outscored 18-2 overall.
asserted
Sox → ’ → York
On Monday, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Chad Tracy were adamant there is no franchise-wide directive regarding how analytics are used on or off the field.
asserted
analytics → be → field
“I would push back on the notion that somehow the role of the scout or the importance of the scout has been diminished in this organization.
asserted
role → push → organization
That’s not the case,” Breslow said.
asserted
Breslow → ’ → ?
“We are constantly looking at how we can make the best decisions, whether those are players that we acquire or invest in, or the way that we create a roster. ...
asserted
we → look → roster
So I think it’s important that I have the chance to say that the value of scouts, the role that they fill here, it’s not diminished, it is not going away.”
asserted
it → think → that
The Red Sox were riding a wave of optimism after Tracy took over when Alex Cora was fired and then guided the team on a 32-5 run this summer that led Boston back to the postseason.
asserted
that → rid → postseason
The turnaround included Sonny Gray’s ascension to No. 1 starter after Garrett Crochet was sidelined with left shoulder inflammation and spent the next five-plus months recovering.
asserted
Crochet → include → months
But it was Gray who was removed after only 70 pitches and 4 2/3 innings with Boston trailing 1-0 in Game 2 against the Yankees.
asserted
Boston → remove → Yankees
New York proceeded to tee off against what had been baseball’s best bullpen during the regular season, and the Yankees pulled away for a 9-2 victory.
asserted
Yankees → proceed → victory
Tracy also came under scrutiny after Boston’s 9-0 defeat in the opener, when he yanked rookie starter Payton Tolle after 4 2/3 innings and 83 pitches in a 1-0 game.
asserted
he → come → game
Gray, who went 18-5 with a 2.72 ERA during the regular season to tie for most wins in the majors and lead the American League in winning percentage, said he “would have liked to have been trusted in that moment.”
Asked directly if he’d ever gotten any input from the front office regarding his decisions this season or whether there was any predetermined script the team used
asserted
team → go → decisions
, Tracy quickly pushed back.
asserted
Tracy → push → ?
We have information, just like all the other 29 teams have information.
asserted
teams → have → information
Everybody has that,” Tracy said.
asserted
Tracy → have → that
“But not one time since I’ve been here has anybody scripted a game, has anybody told me use this number right here to decide in this inning.
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anybody → script → inning
Those decisions, they’re mine.
asserted
they → ’re → ?
But he also made it clear he isn’t turning a deaf ear to his players’ concerns.
asserted
he → make → concerns
That included meeting for multiple hours with Contreras in the days after his comments following the Game 2 loss.
asserted
That → include → loss
“I have a very good working relationship with him and I’ve had numerous conversations with him throughout the course of the year,” Tracy said.
asserted
Tracy → have → year
“But I was able to talk to him.
asserted
I → talk → him
(The relationship is) in a fine place while also understanding his feelings.”
asserted
relationship → understand → feelings
No surgery scheduled for Anthony
Breslow said it’s still not yet clear whether Roman Anthony will need surgery or if an operation would help the injury that caused him to make a premature exit from the postseason.
asserted
him → schedule → postseason
Anthony left Game 1 against the Yankees and was removed from Boston’s roster before the Red Sox were eliminated in Game 2 after he sustained a new right hand injury during the series opener.
asserted
he → leave → opener
Anthony was sidelined from early May to late August with an injury to the same hand.
uncertain
Anthony → sideline → hand
“Still working through what the kind of right course of treatment is,” Breslow said.
asserted
Breslow → work → treatment
“At this point, it doesn’t seem that there’s any type of surgical intervention at this point that is planned at this point or merits consideration.”
asserted
that → seem → consideration
Breslow said doctors believe resting the hand appears to be the best course of action for now.
___
asserted
resting → say → action
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