Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray didn’t need long to respond after being snubbed from the 2026 American League All-Star roster, following an 8-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night. During the game, the veteran right-hander allowed just one run while striking out seven in a dominant outing.
Gray admitted there was early frustration on the mound, but said he gradually worked his way into the game after a slow start. The $75M star expressed that he felt “a little bummed” after not making the All-Star roster.
“I was disappointed, for sure. Just being honest, you know, I’m just, that’s just, y’all have learned, y’all know me well enough now, like, I’m just me. I’m just honest, I was disappointed, for sure,” Sonny Gray said.
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“Happy for Ranger and happy for Chappy, for sure. Very well deserving, both of those guys, but a little selfishly, I was disappointed, but yeah, I don’t know.”
Another notable All-Star omission from the Red Sox was first baseman Willson Contreras. He set the tone with a first-inning home run in Saturday’s game, and expressed his disappointment following the snub.
“If you ask me if I feel personally that I’m deserving, I would tell you yes,” Willson Contreras said.
Sonny Gray acknowledged postgame that external factors may have added fuel to his performance, though he kept his focus on executing pitch by pitch. He said he had shifted his attention toward winning more games with the team.
Red Sox interim manager weighs in on Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras All-Star snub
Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said both Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras are performing at a high level regardless of external circumstances and reiterated that Saturday was simply another example of that. He believes both of them are “deserving candidates” for the All-Star roster.
“I think they’re both just good and they’re good regardless, but it was a good night to be good again. Two deserving candidates, for sure,” Chad Tracy said.
Tracy added that All-Star rosters are always subject to change due to injuries, withdrawals, and replacements, which often reshape the final group. He said that he’s “holding out hope for a couple more guys on the team” that he feels are deserving of the honor.
Edited by Safeer M S
