AL WILD CARD SERIES: RED SOX VS YANKEES

September 29, 2026

Chad Tracy

Yankee Stadium

Boston Red Sox

Pregame Press Conference

Q. You've hit Adley second, I think, once since you've had him. Why did you like him hitting second today?

CHAD TRACY: Well, we haven't done it much lately just because we're trying to get the whole team healthy. That's probably a big part of it. But felt like the way he swung the bat over the last few games, getting him up there.

We also endured Mickey's injury and different things. That's what we were kind of doing for most of the last month-plus, against right-handed pitching especially.

So there's just some circumstances that change things, and you want to put as many good at-bats up there as you can early in the game. It felt like the way to do it.

Q. How difficult was the decision to put Garrett back on the roster, and how much do you feel you can get out of him?

CHAD TRACY: I don't think it was an overly difficult decision. It was just about making the right decision and having all the information outside of just Garrett saying he felt really good, which is a huge part of it.

But also doing our due diligence medically. Like any team, we're running strength testing constantly as he's gone through his rehab process, checking how he's bouncing back after he throws a live, what do the strength numbers look like, are they staying within normal ranges.

So he threw the live, getting him here, letting him throw outside with the guys, testing him again, everything, subjectively/objectively is checking out really well, and we feel good about activating him.

So as far as how we'll use him, we'll see. It's still gonna be, I mean obviously he's very available tonight. It will be read and react after that. But not closing the doors on anything. But definitely obviously gonna look to use him and then also obviously pay close attention to all the things I just said as we move through the series, too.

Q. As far as the bench goes, what went into the decision to go with Nate Eaton over Braiden Ward?

CHAD TRACY: Well, I think it was more a decision of with Garrett getting added, I know obviously everybody saw Braiden was here yesterday. So just how we wanted to structure it.

It was more about 15-11, 14-12, a lot of teams you get to this time and you're deciding on do you want to carry 15-11, 14-12, in their case, you know, 16-10. What do you want to do there? And based on who you carry where else do you want to have?

So really the decision came down to are we going to carry the extra position player or carry the extra pitcher. And getting Garrett on there felt like with him available and feeling good, that that could be a big arm for us. So that was more of the decision.

Nate, what he provides, not only running the bases, because he can really run, what he provides defensively and in any of the outfield positions, that could end up being a pivotal piece for us, too. So his was fairly clear-cut having him on there.

Q. Just as far as the lineup goes, Caleb Durbin's batting ninth. What went into having him bat down there?

CHAD TRACY: You could see that change depending on who we're facing. But like this is, when you look at our lineup, top to bottom, maybe as a whole we've been the whole season. I don't think we've played too many games with Adley and Rafa and Willson all in the same lineup.

So when you get that whole you start kind of looking at what you want to do versus righty, versus lefty and position yourself as best as possible. So that's where Durb is today. He takes a really good at-bat, he can help turn the lineup over. Seems like a good spot, and it could change tomorrow.

Q. Just wanted to ask you if you have any kind of personal favorite memories of playoff baseball, whether you were just watching as a kid or watching your dad, and if there was any conversation with your dad or any kind of advice about managing in this time of year?

CHAD TRACY: I mean, his career, they won the NL West once and that was in LA. Then he went to the playoffs with the Rockies. I was in attendance for those games and can attest to the intensity of how awesome it is to watch it in person. It's incredible. So well aware of that.

And, yeah, we had conversations. Nothing too deep but more just father/son talking through -- he's proud and he's going to be watching. And nothing that he told me that I didn't already know, which was it's intense and it's a three-game series and both sides tend to operate very aggressively. So we had conversations. But, again, he's just excited for our team.

Q. What is the biggest difference between Payton when he first got here and Payton today starting Game One of the Wild Card series?

CHAD TRACY: You mean when he first got here as a Big Leaguer last year?

Q. In your time with him, all throughout your memories of his development?

CHAD TRACY: The arsenal itself. In a year's time, let's say, a little over a year, I think we were about August last year, I think we were in Durham when he went up.

The arsenal, like, how dynamic the arsenal has become, being able to throw the three different type of fastballs -- you know, he can cut it, he can sink it, he can ride it. He didn't, when he first came up, he didn't really have a usable breaking ball that was consistent. Now he's got the curveball in there that he can use, the change-up he can land.

So just the improvement across the entire arsenal and his ability and confidence to throw any of those pitches for strikes. And then when you obviously everybody knows how unique his fastball is, similar to Cam Schlittler. It's a very unique fastball that if you have other offerings that you can land it just makes you even tougher to hit. There's been quite an evolution over a year's time with him.

Q. How difficult is it to develop that many different parts of an arsenal within a year's time?

CHAD TRACY: It can be. He works really hard. He obviously put in a lot of work in the offseason. I think probably you can make a strong argument that coming up last year and getting an opportunity to pitch here and experience it and quickly realize and understand that that is required at this level, I think he had enough outings to see, like, I have to get better at XYZ in this offseason, otherwise this is just a different level.

So he got a glimpse of things he needed to improve on. He went and attacked those things, and he became a much better pitcher.

Q. Can you reflect on what tonight means to you personally, given the journey you've been on this season and some of the things that are going through your mind as you're set to manage your first playoff game?

CHAD TRACY: It means the world to me, mostly for our players. Obviously I'm excited. I'm excited to be the manager of this team. I'm excited to go out there and lead the group, but mostly for our players and what they've been through, what the early part of our season looked like.

And when you looked at it and realized how much work needed to be done just to get to relevance, let alone into a playoff spot, they earned every bit of it. And I'm excited that they get the opportunity to go out there and perform on the biggest stage.

Q. When you were lurking in the shadows, as it were, for your dad's playoff games, were you part of any of this? Were you standing over there or were you up in the stands?

CHAD TRACY: I definitely wasn't in here for these, no.

Q. What's the closest you've come to being a part of the pregame aspect?

CHAD TRACY: There were plenty of times I was like, depending on what year it was, there was plenty of times I would go with him early and hang out in his office, and there were plenty of times that maybe some of this would go on that I would sit in the corner and listen and pay attention. Like he didn't necessarily kick me out. So I would sit there and listen to that.

I was privy to, if he was talking with some of the front office or GMs about talking through things, they knew that I was very well aware that whatever happens in there stays in there. So I was privy to enough and witness to enough conversations that I was always paying attention, watching, learning.

Q. You got asked maybe late in September about getting back more to small ball. You said a lot of it is game-dependent and conditions within the game. Fair to say in a best of three playoff series that those opportunities might be there and that you might emphasize that, particularly given the struggles with runners in scoring position the last few weeks?

CHAD TRACY: You don't close the door on anything in a game, especially games like this. It's all dependent on -- and there was a lot of conversation around that -- the fact of the matter is we didn't score as much in September. We were very beat up.

The score of game, inning of game, all those things, I said to a lot of people, it's, like, we weren't necessarily winning because we played small ball. We were putting ourselves in positions to play small ball because of how we were doing and because we were putting ourselves in situations to do that.

So it's not something that's forced. It's just something that you see it coming. You're watching it unfold. You know your personnel. You know who can do what. And if you see opportunities you can take advantage of, you do it.

The you don't close the door on anything. You certainly don't force anything. You've just got to take the situations as they come to you.

Q. When did you first meet Payton and when did you first realize what a character he was?

CHAD TRACY: He came up -- that was August we sent him up. And from Durham, it was probably, I don't know, I think he made five starts with us in Triple-A. So sometime in July, I think, is when he first arrived from Portland.

I had heard things about him on his way, from the people in Portland. They said this guy is one of one, as far as his personality. And within maybe a day or two realized that that was definitely the case.

So he came in and pretty much within two days he lit up the room as far as his personality. And it spread to other people and became beloved in Worcester's locker room fairly quickly, just like he did here.

Q. Were you in the minor league staff at the history lesson in Spring Training?

CHAD TRACY: I was there.

Q. What was your reaction?

CHAD TRACY: I thought it was fantastic. The biggest thing I can say about that is, like, we knew he's doing a presentation on USA, and it's Payton Tolle doing it. And that was all anybody needed to know. The entire room was filled. I think every single person in the camp was not going to miss that one.