TORONTO - The visitors' clubhouse at Rogers Centre told the immediate story. Among the silence were images of players scrolling through iPads and phones to decipher where their piece of the uneasy puzzle went awry.
When you drop a 7-6 decision in 10 innings after leading by six runs heading into the sixth inning, as was the case with the Red Sox in their tilt against the Blue Jays Wednesday night, this is what Major League Baseball looks like.
It was absolutely one of those games that are circled when identifying the what-might-have-beens at the end of any pennant race.
But once the immediate sting wears off, the most important takeaway for the Red Sox will be surfaced. That would be the reminder of why the Sox signed Lucas Giolito in the first place.
For some, it was difficult to get their head around the notion that Giolito - who was pitching in his first game as a Red Sox - would be part of the solution, not the problem. The days of the righty dominating as a member of the White Sox all the way up through the 2023 trade deadline had been placed way too far in the rearview mirror. And his five rehab outings leading up to this start did nothing to rekindle those positive vibes.
Yet, there it was. He was the guy who just offered another wave of optimism heading into May.
For five innings Giolito dominated the Blue Jays, holding Toronto scoreless while reaching back for velocity as high as 96 mph. And it seemed, with his pitch count only approaching 80 with two outs in the sixth, the story was going to be a simple one.
"I think if Gio throws the ball like that the whole season, we’re going to be in good shape," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora.
Then things got complicated.
After going 0-2 on George Springer, Gioltio narrowly missed on his seventh pitch of the at-bat to walk the Jays' outfielder. Then, after getting to another 0-2 count Daulton Varsho, the Sox starter saw his third pitch of the plate appearance get rocketed over the right-center field fence. Two pitches later, it was Alejandro Kirk who went deep.
Ultimately, the Red Sox couldn't stop the Blue Jays momentum, with Anthony Santander's three-run homer off Garrett Whitlock tying the game in the seventh, before Kirk notched the walk-off in the 10th with a one-out single.
"Confidence is good," said Giolito, who hadn't allowed three or fewer runs while pitching six or more innings since Sept. 15, 2023. "It's just continuing to get into the groove, get my good routine. It's good to be back going on road trips and being around the guys and looking forward to building, and obviously, the biggest takeaway from tonight is stay focused and finish strong."
While the Red Sox' players' night was punctuated with having to avoid the Jays' on-field celebration before adjourning to the solemn chambers in the visitors' clubhouse, there will be some satisfaction that emerges with time.
Alex Bregman hit another home run, with Carlos Narvaez also going deep. Rafael Devers continued to figure out his new world of designated hitting, coming away with a pair of hits. And, of course, there was Giolito.