Red Sox looking to reset for postseason push after tough 16-game stretch

BOSTON -- There was one piece of good news for the Red Sox following a 7-6 loss in 10 innings to the D-backs on Wednesday afternoon at Fenway Park.

They don’t play baseball on Thursday.

While interim manager Chad Tracy’s squad is an enthusiastic group of grinders who love coming to work every day, this was their last in a stretch of 16 games in 16 days.

During the dog days of August, that isn’t easy.

“It feels heavy in our bodies this time of the year,” first baseman Willson Contreras said. “We grind through it. We played our best throughout 16 days in a row, and we lost today. Tough loss, but it’s baseball. But we have an off-day tomorrow. Reset, come back and win.”

Through the stretch, the Red Sox went 8-8. Thanks to a torrid 27-3 run that went from July 3-Aug. 7, Boston is still in strong position to make it to the postseason.

With 35 games left, the Sox (68-59) are in possession of the second American League Wild Card spot by 5 1/2 games.

“We’ve got some guys banged up,” Tracy said. “So obviously it's nice to be at the end of that. It's nice for the guys to have an off-day [Thursday]. It’s been a gauntlet of a 16 days, so everybody gets a day of rest and recovery and come back ready to go.”

The Red Sox will be back at it on Friday night at Fenway against Rafael Devers and the Giants. Here were some takeaways from Wednesday’s defeat:

1. Contreras shakes off boos

Everyone around the Red Sox knows that Contreras has been playing with left hamstring soreness for weeks. That’s why it was somewhat surprising when the man many consider to be the heart and soul of the team received some boos for not hustling out of the box on a routine grounder to third for the second out of the 10th inning. In jest, Contreras put his hand over his right ear.

When he got back to the dugout, Contreras and some other players seemed to be having an issue with a fan seated near the dugout, but it was unclear the reason behind it.

“Nothing, he was inviting me to dinner,” quipped Contreras. “I was like, ‘No, I'm good with that.” He didn’t name any specific place or restaurant.”

Contreras did address the boo birds.

“I'm not gonna get hurt running out a ground ball,” Contreras said. “And if you're a real fan and you know baseball, there's no case for me to hustle out of the box. I'm not 100 percent. We never are, but I'm taking care of my leg. If I have to run, I push a little bit. If I don't, my manager has my back, and I talk to him, and he gave me the permission just to do whatever it takes to take care of my legs, and that's it. I just don't care.”

Contreras, who was booed on the last homestand for the same reason, said those two isolated moments haven’t changed his feelings on playing in Boston.

“I won't change my mind about Boston or the fans. I think I'm in the best place to play baseball,” Contreras said. “If I was 100 percent, they wouldn't boo because I would hustle down the line. I get goosebumps every time I think about Boston, and I'm in the right place.”

2. Short bullpen stings in this one

With two key relievers on the 15-day injured list at the same time with right elbow inflammation in Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock, the Sox paid the price when the game went into extras. Lefty Jovani Morán walked three and gave up two runs (one earned) in the 10th. Earlier in the game, Greg Weissert struggled, giving up two runs in the sixth.

3. Sogard hammers first career HR

While it was a feel-good series for Minor League journeyman Mickey Gasper, who belted homers in all three games, Nick Sogard, another grinder, ripped his first career long ball. In fact, the 28-year-old Sogard’s shot into the bullpen was his first home run in career plate appearance No. 322 covering the last three seasons with Boston. Not only that, but it was a leadoff homer.

“That was special,” Gasper said. “I couldn’t be happier for him as a guy that grinds every single day to get that monkey off his back. I know what that’s like.”