Red Sox's Mickey Gasper Somehow Out-Homered $500 Million Slugger

The Boston Red Sox have a much-needed day off on Monday before they will begin a three-game wild-card series against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.

With the day off, it'll be interesting to see if there is any progress from Boston's injured guys. Garrett Crochet tossed another bullpen on Saturday and is trending up. Tyron Guerrero was placed on the Injured List due to a shoulder strain and won't be able to return in 2026, unless the Red Sox go on a deep playoff run. Johan Oviedo has been throwing and began a rehab assignment before Triple-A Worcester's season came to a close. On top of these guys, eyes are on Mickey Gasper, who left the club's contest on Sep. 25 due to a biceps injury. The club hasn't announced Gasper's exact injury, but Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said that it will probably "take him out."

It's tough that Gasper isn't likely to be with the Red Sox for the wild-card series, but he thrived in 2026. In fact, he somehow hit more homers than Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 77 fewer games. Gasper clubbed 10 homers in 67 games, whereas Guerrero hit nine long balls in 144 games played. Another stat that stands out is the fact that Gasper actually finished the season with more wins above replacement than Guerrero did. Gasper finished with 1.2 wins above replacement and Guerrero finished with 1.1 wins above replacement.

What A Season For Mickey Gasper

Sep 22, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter Mickey Gasper (30) hits a home run against the Cleveland Guardians in the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is a wild concept. Guerrero has a 14-year, $500 million contract with the Blue Jays and earned over $40 million in 2026. Gasper earned the Major League Baseball minimum of $780,000 in 2026.

It's just another quirk from the 2026 season. It's also not something you're typically going to see in other professional sports. Think of the NBA, for example. Guerrero isn't the highest-paid player in the league, but he's towards the top. Think of someone like Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. He's also not the highest-paid player in the league, but he's close to the top. You might see someone on a minimum deal outplay Embiid for a single game, or for a stretch. But over the course of an entire season, that doesn't happen, barring good health.

In baseball, anything could happen. Gasper was the hottest player in baseball for a stretch during the summer and racked up homers left and right. At the same time, Guerrero had the most uncharacteristic season of his career. No one could've predicted that Gasper would finish a season with higher WAR and more homers than Guerrero before the season began. But that's why you play the games.

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