Red Sox Lose Again to Twins as Sonny Gray Struggles, Willson Contreras Exits Early

Contreras left the game in the fifth inning due to lower back tightness as the Red Sox fell to 6-11 on the season.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 2:27am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors depicts the dynamic action of a baseball game, with players and the field deconstructed into sharp, overlapping shapes.A fractured, cubist-inspired illustration captures the chaotic energy of a high-stakes baseball matchup between the struggling Red Sox and the surprising Twins.Worcester Today

The Boston Red Sox suffered another loss to the Minnesota Twins, with starting pitcher Sonny Gray getting hit hard and catcher Willson Contreras exiting the game early due to lower back tightness. Gray allowed 5 runs and 9 hits in just 4 innings, while Twins outfielder Byron Buxton had a big game with 2 home runs and 4 RBIs. The Red Sox bullpen was forced to work overtime after Gray's short outing, with rookie Jack Anderson making his MLB debut and striking out the side in the 5th inning.

Why it matters

The Red Sox have now lost consecutive games to the Twins, a team that was not expected to compete in the AL Central this season. The Red Sox are struggling to find consistency, going 0-7 when the opposing team scores first and 0-11 when their starting pitcher fails to last 6 innings. The loss of Willson Contreras to injury is also a concern, as he has been a key part of the Red Sox lineup.

The details

Sonny Gray struggled from the start, allowing a run in the 1st inning when Byron Buxton scored from second on a single by Luke Keaschall. Buxton then hit a solo home run in the 3rd inning to make it 2-0 Twins. The Twins tacked on 3 more runs in the 4th inning, chasing Gray from the game after 93 pitches. Rookie Jack Anderson made his MLB debut in the 5th inning and struck out the side. Willson Contreras exited the game in the 5th inning due to lower back tightness, adding to the Red Sox' injury woes.

  • Buxton singled and scored in the 1st inning.
  • Buxton hit a solo home run in the 3rd inning.
  • The Twins scored 3 runs in the 4th inning to chase Gray from the game.
  • Willson Contreras left the game in the 5th inning due to lower back tightness.

The players

Sonny Gray

The Red Sox starting pitcher who allowed 5 runs and 9 hits in 4 innings of work.

Willson Contreras

The Red Sox catcher who exited the game in the 5th inning due to lower back tightness.

Byron Buxton

The Twins outfielder who had a big game, going 4-for-5 with 2 home runs and 4 RBIs.

Jack Anderson

The Red Sox rookie pitcher who made his MLB debut in the 5th inning and struck out the side.

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What they’re saying

“Good fastball, strike thrower. With what happened [Monday with Crochet and the bullpen], it makes sense to have somebody that can go multiple innings, either way. If things go sideways, he can come in and give us more than three innings, and if we're winning by a lot, too.”

— Alex Cora, Red Sox Manager

What’s next

The Red Sox will look to bounce back in the series finale against the Twins on Sunday. The team is hopeful that Willson Contreras' injury is not serious and that he will be able to return to the lineup soon.

The takeaway

The Red Sox are struggling to find consistency this season, with their starting pitching and bullpen both facing issues. The loss of Willson Contreras to injury is a concern, as he has been a key part of the team's lineup. The Red Sox will need to find a way to turn things around quickly if they want to compete in the AL East.