The Red Sox never woke up for their Monday morning matchup against the Guardians at Fenway Park.
They were held to just two hits by Cleveland starter Xzavion Curry, and their three overall in a forgettable contest on Patriots Day marked the fourth time this season they have been held to three or fewer hits. The 6-0 loss also was the third time in 17 games this season the Sox have been shut out.
And the defense, once again, kicked around the ball, allowing Cleveland to run away with what was initially a tight ballgame.
“It sucks,” said Red Sox manager Cora regarding the sloppy defensive play.
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But even worse is the news that Tyler O’Neill, the Sox’ best player this season, could have a concussion.
The left fielder left the game in the seventh inning after colliding with third baseman Rafael Devers on a shallow fly ball.
Devers stayed in the contest and should be available for Tuesday’s contest. O’Neill, however, suffered a gash above his left eye, received eight stitches, and is undergoing concussion testing.
Cleveland’s Estevan Florial lofted a fly ball to left field, and as Devers retreated, he and O’Neill crashed into each other, with Devers still recording the out to end the half-inning. O’Neill walked off the field applying a towel to the bloodied area.
“I think that’s the worst play in baseball,” said Sox starter Kutter Crawford, who was stellar in 5⅔ scoreless innings. “You got the infielder running back on a blooper and the outfielder running hard in on the blooper.
“It’s tough to watch. You don’t want to see two of your teammates collide and lay on the ground like that.”
Communication on that kind of play is imperative, but the environment can make it difficult.
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“In this game, we talk about communication and all that, but when there’s [33,008] people in there, it is hard,” said Cora. “There’s two guys trying to make a play and they run into each other.”
O’Neill is off to a hot start. He was 1 for 2 with a walk before leaving the game, bringing his line to .313/.459/.750 with a 1.209 OPS and 7 homers. He’s been solid in the outfield, too, flashing his Gold Glove defense and strong arm.
The Sox have been diligent regarding O’Neill’s health, considering his injury history. They understand when it’s best to give him a breather and are careful not to start him more than five days in a row.
“These guys, especially Alex, have been awesome,” O’Neill said Sunday. “I can’t stop raving about them. They fix me up, they get me right. Those are conversations we’re going to continue to have.
“Alex gets it. He played before; he understands what it’s like in the trenches. I’m an explosive athlete, and playing the outfield, there’s a lot of running that goes on and there are some days you need to be off your feet and prioritize recovery.”
The Sox have already endured a huge loss with shortstop Trevor Story’s shoulder injury that has cost him the season. Devers has battled shoulder soreness since spring training that kept him out for four straight games (six overall) before returning Monday. Starter Nick Pivetta is on the injured list with a mild elbow strain. And starter Lucas Giolito had elbow surgery during camp.
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If O’Neill did suffer a concussion, that would mean five key players after just 17 games have been bitten by the injury bug.
“It’s scary,” said Cora. “Hopefully Raffy is ready for tomorrow, and with Tyler, we’ll see.”
Julian McWilliams can be reached at julian.mcwilliams@globe.com. Follow him @byJulianMack.