Papelbon said he’d been part of that type of scenario himself. The former closer said that then-manager Terry Francona told him to throw at Manny Ramirez after the slugger had been traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2010.

The Red Sox (38–36) have won three straight series for the first time this season, capped by a sweep of the Yankees at Fenway Park on Sunday. They head into Tuesday holding the final wild-card spot (+170 to make the playoffs, per Caesars ), but the roster still has gaps.