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Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy explained why Mickey Gasper is leading off again despite his limited offensive production.

Mickey Gasper is back in the leadoff spot for the Red Sox, and interim manager Chad Tracy says the decision has less to do with batting average and more to do with the quality of each plate appearance.

With Roman Anthony unavailable and Jarren Duran struggling to reach base consistently, Tracy believes Gasper’s strike-zone discipline and ability to grind through at-bats give Boston its best chance to jump-start an offense searching for answers.

The math, in Tracy’s mind, starts with the at-bat, not the average.

Chad Tracy Explains the Mickey Gasper Leadoff Decision

“At least so far, it’s only been a couple of games, but exactly what I hoped. The games he’s had there, he’s done a nice job of swinging at strikes, taking balls. The first game was perfect. He walked on four pitches to start the game,” Tracy said, as quoted by NESN‘s Andrew Gould.

That first game was June 12 against the Texas Rangers. The result: a runner on base with no outs five pitches into the opposing starter’s outing.

“I also think he’s aggressive in the zone when he needs to, and the ball gets squared up a good bit,” Tracy continued, according to NESN. “You feel like they may have some spots where if they’re in and out of the zone, he’s pretty good at laying off of it if it’s not, and it kickstarts the offense. Still like it.”

Thursday marks Gasper’s fourth leadoff start of 2026 and his third consecutive leadoff start. He went 0-for-4 in Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to Toronto and is 2-for-13 batting first on the year. The overall 2026 slash line sits at .258/.316/.326 through 99 plate appearances, with zero home runs. Against right-handers, including Blue Jays starter Trey Yesavage on Thursday, RotoWire shows his OPS at .724, batting average at .288 and on-base percentage at .354.

Gasper’s Unlikely Path to the Red Sox Leadoff Spot

Gasper, 30, grew up in Merrimack, New Hampshire — though he was a self-professed Yankees fan — and played four years at Bryant University before the New York Yankees drafted him in the 27th round of the 2018 MLB Draft, 817th overall.

He spent six years in the minors before the Red Sox selected him in the minor-league phase of the 2023 Rule 5 Draft. His MLB debut arrived Aug. 12, 2024, as a pinch hitter who drew a walk. He went 0-for-18 in 13 games after that.

Boston traded him to the Minnesota Twins that December. Minnesota designated him for assignment in January 2026. Washington claimed him briefly, then Boston reclaimed him off waivers Feb. 4, 2026, according to Heavy‘s Dan Morrison. He hit .158/.257/.232 with two home runs in 45 games for the Twins in 2025.

The Red Sox recalled Gasper on May 10. He arrived hot — going 5-for-11 to begin the stint — and hasn’t recorded a multihit game since May 29. A groin issue cost him two starts this month before he returned Tuesday off the bench, then reclaimed his spot in the lineup Wednesday and Thursday.

Boston sits 29-42, last in the AL East. The offense ranks last in MLB in runs scored (279) and 29th in home runs (59). The Red Sox went 1-for-24 with runners in scoring position through the first two games of this Toronto series.

Thursday’s series finale at Fenway starts at 1:35 p.m. ET, with Sonny Gray facing Yesavage. Gasper enters as only the third catcher in Red Sox history to lead off a game, joining Jason Varitek (Oct. 3, 2004) and Christian Vázquez (Sept. 20, 2020).