Jedixson Páez, a rookie for the Boston Red Sox, delivered five shutout innings of relief against the Chicago Cubs in Game 2 of their doubleheader, an absolutely massive performance that helped Boston secure a 2-0 win and a sweep. This wasn’t just a quiet outing; it was exactly the kind of lights-out pitching that teams crave when they’re staring down the final stretch of the regular season, especially when the bullpen needs a break.
This Rookie Is Just Different
Páez was the story of the day. Coming in after starter Brayan Bello in the fifth inning, this guy just kept going. Five innings of zero runs against a Cubs lineup that had its own playoff stakes, through whatever the weather was doing at Fenway, through innings where any single mistake could blow the shutout. The rookie put up the longest outing of the two-man combo and walked away completely clean. That’s the headline right there, beyond impressive for a spot call-up, and quietly one of the best pitching performances all day. His ability to go that deep was exactly what the Red Sox needed to keep their bullpen fresh before their final regular season game.
Clutch Hitting and Solid Starts
While Páez was carving up the Cubs, we can’t forget Brayan Bello. He set the table with four solid innings, keeping the game at zero when it needed to stay zero and allowing Páez to take over. Bello has been one of the better starters in the AL since August, and this was him just doing his job. It feels like starter Bello is taking on reliever Bello’s powers, and you just trust him more out there. Then, after three hours of scoreless baseball, Wilyer Abreu stepped up in the eighth. With two outs, he absolutely ripped a double to right field, scoring two runs and breaking the whole thing open. That one swing was the entire night’s offense.
The Red Sox offense, though, only managed four hits in nine innings. They won because Abreu’s double was perfectly timed and the pitching was phenomenal. But two runs against a team they won’t see again isn’t exactly the momentum you want heading into a playoff series at Yankee Stadium. They’re gonna need a lot more than that next week. The Red Sox now head to Tropicana Field to finish out their 2026 regular season. Can the offense find its groove before the big dance at Yankee Stadium? We’re all watching to see if they can put it all together.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
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