Sonny Gray was the Red Sox's go-to pitcher for large portions of the 2026 season, posting career-highs in wins and ERA (in seasons where he pitched more than 65 innings) to lead Boston's rotation.
That wasn't enough to propel the Sox to victory in their Wild Card tilt with the Yankees. Still, Gray produced a solid enough performance, surrendering two runs in 4.2 innings while amassing five strikeouts.
Some onlookers suggested that parts of Gray's outing were illegitimate. Namely, they felt he besmirched his reputation — and his neck — with a strange substance that he'd occasionally swipe at throughout his start.
Here's what you need to know.
MORE: What's next for Sonny Gray, Jarren Duran and Red Sox after 2026 playoff exit
Did Sonny Gray use sticky stuff in Red Sox loss to Yankees?
Gray's neck appeared to be draped with a curious residue during Game 2. He swiped at a curious substance located on the right side of his neck intermittently throughout the outing.
Sonny Gray asks for a new ball and then immediately touches his neck. He was doing this all game 🕵️♀️ pic.twitter.com/1ryNUFnaeT
— Lauren🏒 (@Ms_NYRangers) October 1, 2026The unknown material was the subject of a Jomboy breakdown, with the host suggesting that Gray might have been using a foreign element to enhance his spin rates.
Sonny Gray obviously had sticky stuff on his neck, a breakdown pic.twitter.com/ii41NNMsDK
— Jimmy O'Brien (@Jomboy_) October 1, 2026Is Jomboy's hypothesis true? It's impossible to know for sure. Officials believed Gray's performance was legitimate. As one social media user pointed out, Gray has been known to wipe at his neck before. He produced the gesture a handful of times during his start, including in the first inning — way before the smattering of sediment appeared on his neck.
MORE: Willson Contreras rails against Red Sox's use of data after falling to Yankees in AL Wild Card
This video is for anyone who thinks Sonny Gray used pine tar tonight pic.twitter.com/DyQuzJLcy4
— MD (@mike_daddino) October 1, 2026Nevertheless, social media was awash with rumors that Gray had committed the cardinal sin of using pine tar to make his pitchers more difficult to hit. Some, including Jomboy himself, believed that Red Sox manager Chad Tracy opted to pull Gray from the game early in an attempt to protect him from allegations that he cheated.
Regardless, it's easy to see why the appearance of the strange debris on Gray's neck proved so contentious.
