A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[moonslav59]

5 hours ago, UtahSox said:

It’s not working out…. We are 8 games behind Yankees and it’s not even May 1st. 
 

who knows what this lineup looks like with Willson + AB2? Maybe Roman would be hitting better. We’ll never know. But it’s definitively not working out. 

Of course one big bat wasn't going to make up 8 games, but it would look like we tried harder.

It's early. Normally, I'd be close to giving up, but the whole AL sucks. If we miss the WC by 2-3 games, we can revisit this.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

5 hours ago, UtahSox said:

who knows what this lineup looks like with Willson + AB2? Maybe Roman would be hitting better. We’ll never know. But it’s definitively not working out. 

Contreras replaced Devers production at the position he refused to play.

Breslow never replaced Bregman -- and though some posters are happy not to commit all their billionaire's money --  the Red Sox are still minus an All-Star middle-of-the-order bat and clubhouse leader (why would a last-place doormat with the majors' worst offense need a guy like that...).

According to the piece Ken Rosenthal and others just wrote about the power-mad insecure Brez, maybe there was a reason we didn't know about for why there wasn't enough urgency to bring back Bregman:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7239320/2026/04/29/craig-breslow-alex-cora-red-sox-coaches-purge/

 

 

[notin]

7 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Of course one big bat wasn't going to make up 8 games, but it would look like we tried harder.

It's early. Normally, I'd be close to giving up, but the whole AL sucks. If we miss the WC by 2-3 games, we can revisit this.

Whats killing tjis team is collection of bad starts.

Last year, after trading Devers, the Sox lineup featured

C: Narvaez

1b: Toro

2b: Hamilton/Romy

3b:Mayer or Bregman

SS: Story

LF: Duran

CF: Rafaela

RF: Anthony and Abreu

DH: Yoshida

Thats not a better lineup than this year.  Their “Star” Alex Bregman did have a .821 OPS, but only 18 HRs and 62 RBI. 
 

Somehow that mishmash above went 52-37.  Certainly the team pitched well.  Of course how does that pitching differ this year?  Does not having Giolito make that much of a difference? Especially since his replacement (Ranger Suarez) has been pitching well?

 

 

[notin]

35 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Contreras replaced Devers production at the position he refused to play.

Breslow never replaced Bregman -- and though some posters are happy not to commit all their billionaire's money --  the Red Sox are still minus an All-Star middle-of-the-order bat and clubhouse leader (why would a last-place doormat with the majors' worst offense need a guy like that...).

According to the piece Ken Rosenthal and others just wrote about the power-mad insecure Brez, maybe there was a reason we didn't know about for why there wasn't enough urgency to bring back Bregman:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7239320/2026/04/29/craig-breslow-alex-cora-red-sox-coaches-purge/

 

 

The Sox went 37-36 with Devers’ production; 52-37 without it.  Explain why it was so essential that we’re back to these stupid “replaced his production” talks that usually require a 50 man active roster.

Maybe some posters the Sox already spent more this year than last year and don’t believe perennially spending more money since they are other teams with cheaper rosters winning and ones with more expensive rosters are off to worse starts.  Oh, and these posters also don’t blame spending or lack of it on Internet forum participants…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

4 minutes ago, notin said:

The Sox went 37-36 with Devers’ production; 52-37 without it.  Explain why it was so essential that we’re back to these stupid “replaced his production” talks that usually require a 50 man active roster.

Right, imagine stupid posters agreeing with stupid professional baseball writers and stupid professional baseball analysts on stupid MLB channels that have said all winter and all spring that the stupid Red Sox CBO never replaced BOTH middle of the order bats he lost or got rid of in the past year, leaving the stupid offense with a stupid hole smackdab in the heart of the stupid order.

Last in Home Runs, but more importantly, last in On Base Percentage, last in Slugging Percentage, last in OPS. Last in the AL East.

[mvp 78]

25 minutes ago, notin said:

Somehow that mishmash above went 52-37.  Certainly the team pitched well.  Of course how does that pitching differ this year?  Does not having Giolito make that much of a difference? Especially since his replacement (Ranger Suarez) has been pitching well?

7/1/25 - EOY

14th wRC+

2nd BABIP

7th SB

8th Runs

23rd K%

[mvp 78]

15 minutes ago, notin said:

The Sox went 37-36 with Devers’ production; 52-37 without it.  Explain why it was so essential that we’re back to these stupid “replaced his production” talks that usually require a 50 man active roster.

Maybe some posters the Sox already spent more this year than last year and don’t believe perennially spending more money since they are other teams with cheaper rosters winning and ones with more expensive rosters are off to worse starts.  Oh, and these posters also don’t blame spending or lack of it on Internet forum participants…

The pitching was much better without Devers. That was the real difference maker. The overall wRC+ was about the same with or without Devers. Roman basically replaced his production. This year, Roman has taken a step backwards.

[Old Red]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

The pitching was much better without Devers. That was the real difference maker. The overall wRC+ was about the same with or without Devers. Roman basically replaced his production. This year, Roman has taken a step backwards.

Yes it was the pitching of Cro Man, Gio, and Bello for long stretches that led to a lot better record after Raffy left, and not because Devers left. Most likely that record would have been better if Devers would have stayed, and it might have turned out differently against the Yankees in the postseason if Raffy’s bat would have been in the lineup. The Devers bashers just want to keep crying about how bad Devers was as a teammate, which they continue to do.

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Yes it was the pitching of Cro Man, Gio, and Bello for long stretches that led to a lot better record after Raffy left, and not because Devers left. Most likely that record would have been better if Devers would have stayed, and it might have turned out differently against the Yankees in the postseason if Raffy’s bat would have been in the lineup. The Devers bashers just want to keep crying about how bad Devers was as a teammate, which they continue to do.

He refused to change positions!

 

[jad]

4 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Yes it was the pitching of Cro Man, Gio, and Bello for long stretches that led to a lot better record after Raffy left, and not because Devers left. Most likely that record would have been better if Devers would have stayed, and it might have turned out differently against the Yankees in the postseason if Raffy’s bat would have been in the lineup. The Devers bashers just want to keep crying about how bad Devers was as a teammate, which they continue to do.

Don't worry.  Those rumors will be replaced by new ones about what a bad 'team-mate' Cora was and how he deliberately sabotaged the team, and how all those coaches had alcohol and marital problems and wouldn't do the tasks assigned by CB.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Whats killing tjis team is collection of bad starts.

Last year, after trading Devers, the Sox lineup featured

C: Narvaez

1b: Toro

2b: Hamilton/Romy

3b:Mayer or Bregman

SS: Story

LF: Duran

CF: Rafaela

RF: Anthony and Abreu

DH: Yoshida

Thats not a better lineup than this year.  Their “Star” Alex Bregman did have a .821 OPS, but only 18 HRs and 62 RBI. 
 

Somehow that mishmash above went 52-37.  Certainly the team pitched well.  Of course how does that pitching differ this year?  Does not having Giolito make that much of a difference? Especially since his replacement (Ranger Suarez) has been pitching well?

True, and the pitching ha sucked, especially some that did very well last year.

We still coulda used a big bat add.

[Old Red]

7 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He refused to change positions!

 

That’s what I heard. 

[mvp 78]

14 minutes ago, jad said:

Don't worry.  Those rumors will be replaced by new ones about what a bad 'team-mate' Cora was and how he deliberately sabotaged the team, and how all those coaches had alcohol and marital problems and wouldn't do the tasks assigned by CB.

Cora is a good coach, but needs strong veterans on the team. Once it went into a rebuild, they needed someone else running the show. He just isn't able to effectively manage young guys. The Sox have been at the bottom of the standings in errors no matter who they put on the field. The Sox never looked completely prepared. For example, the Sox are dead last in ABS challenges and seemingly are scared to challenge or have no idea when or why to challenge. 

[Old Red]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Cora is a good coach, but needs strong veterans on the team. Once it went into a rebuild, they needed someone else running the show. He just isn't able to effectively manage young guys. The Sox have been at the bottom of the standings in errors no matter who they put on the field. The Sox never looked completely prepared. For example, the Sox are dead last in ABS challenges and seemingly are scared to challenge or have no idea when or why to challenge. 

That’s the way it seems the more that comes out about Cora, and the young players. Mayer probably has a little relief now. Cora talked at length many times about errors especially on a postgame, but nothing seemed to change. We Got To Do Better. The team was lifeless, and listless coming out of ST, and so was Cora who I think checked out more than once the last three years.

[notin]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Right, imagine stupid posters agreeing with stupid professional baseball writers and stupid professional baseball analysts on stupid MLB channels that have said all winter and all spring that the stupid Red Sox CBO never replaced BOTH middle of the order bats he lost or got rid of in the past year, leaving the stupid offense with a stupid hole smackdab in the heart of the stupid order.

Last in Home Runs, but more importantly, last in On Base Percentage, last in Slugging Percentage, last in OPS. Last in the AL East.

Again, the Sox went 52-37 with a Tampa lineup from June through September.  The point here isn’t that the Sox are secretly hitting, just that there are other ways to win besides thumping.  Leading the league in home runs makes for an exciting team, but all it guarantees is more home runs.  You’re old enough to remember the 1980’s when the Sox were at or close to the top in home runs every year, but also ended many seasons playing out a short string of meaningless October games.  
 

The Sox this year are underperforming.  Narvaez is one thing; last year he was a productive cog, but he really lacks any history to know if that was a career year or not.  Ditto Anthony, although he at least has a significant minor league pedigree.  But players like Duran and Story are in the midst of career-worst seasons (in Story’s case on both sides of the ball) that have them among the worst players in the league at their positions…

[notin]

36 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Cora is a good coach, but needs strong veterans on the team. Once it went into a rebuild, they needed someone else running the show. He just isn't able to effectively manage young guys. The Sox have been at the bottom of the standings in errors no matter who they put on the field. The Sox never looked completely prepared. For example, the Sox are dead last in ABS challenges and seemingly are scared to challenge or have no idea when or why to challenge. 

Cora may do well with veterans, but for all his background in analytics, he does appear to be very reluctant to move an underperforming veteran off a key position.  Ladt year wuth Devers.  This year with Story.

Tracy hasn’t made any significant changes in this regard.  It’s only been a handful of games, but it’s fair to question if he will act on this…

[notin]

55 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

True, and the pitching ha sucked, especially some that did very well last year.

We still coulda used a big bat add.

Crochet hasn’t been the monster he was last year, but thats also crazy to expect every season.

But this year, the Sox started off with 5 easily named pitchers in the rotation.  They really never had that last year.  Hunter Do buns was only wuth them briefly and still ranked among the top 5 in GS among pitchers…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

16 minutes ago, notin said:

Cora may do well with veterans, but for all his background in analytics, he does appear to be very reluctant to move an underperforming veteran off a key position.  Ladt year wuth Devers.  This year with Story.

Tracy hasn’t made any significant changes in this regard.  It’s only been a handful of games, but it’s fair to question if he will act on this…

I like the optics of Tracy as a younger alternative to manage underclassmen he successfully coached in the minors...

... but after reading all the post-mortem stories smartly published by beat reporters before the front office can do its usual smear campaign on departing employees, it's probably fair to question if Chad will actually be able to act on any changes except those ordered by Brez and Bailey's Flying Circus.

And I feel bad for the new coaching staff of old pros like Epperson, because unless they pull off a miracle comeback, it's likely egomaniac Breslow will clean house again after this debacle of a season so he can finally do what he's wanted from the start: fire any voices of reason and replace them with an entire administration of sychophants and yes-men enablers.

[mvp 78]

29 minutes ago, notin said:

Cora may do well with veterans, but for all his background in analytics, he does appear to be very reluctant to move an underperforming veteran off a key position.  Ladt year wuth Devers.  This year with Story.

Tracy hasn’t made any significant changes in this regard.  It’s only been a handful of games, but it’s fair to question if he will act on this…

He also doesn't seem able to make a team play above their capabilities. You're never all that surprised by how a Cora team is playing unless it's by how much they are underperforming. 

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I like the optics of Tracy as a younger alternative to manage underclassmen he successfully coached in the minors...

... but after reading all the post-mortem stories smartly published by beat reporters before the front office can do its usual smear campaign on departing employees, it's probably fair to question if Chad will actually be able to act on any changes except those ordered by Brez and Bailey's Flying Circus.

And I feel bad for the new coaching staff of old pros like Epperson, because unless they pull off a miracle comeback, it's likely egomaniac Breslow will clean house again after this debacle of a season so he can finally do what he's wanted from the start: fire any voices of reason and replace them with an entire administration of sychophants and yes-men enablers.

Before the FO can do a smear campaign? The Globe had the smear campaign going the following morning after Tito was gone. I think they've learned from their lesson and aren't really going whole hog on that stuff anymore. We're hearing a lot more sour grapes from the former coaches and others fired by Breslow than anything else. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

16 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Before the FO can do a smear campaign? The Globe had the smear campaign going the following morning after Tito was gone. I think they've learned from their lesson and aren't really going whole hog on that stuff anymore. We're hearing a lot more sour grapes from the former coaches and others fired by Breslow than anything else. 

They kick everyone out the door and make up crap about them on the way out. There's already a story about Cora getting fall-down drunk on team flights back when he was coaching for the frikin Astros.

I just don't want to hear it. Get well soon, Red Sox.

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

They kick everyone out the door and make up crap about them on the way out. There's already a story about Cora getting fall-down drunk on team flights back when he was coaching for the frikin Astros.

I just don't want to hear it. Get well soon, Red Sox.

That story came from Evan Drellich's book from the HOU cheating scandal. It isn't new info at all. The Sox had nothing to do with it. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

That story came from Evan Drellich's book from the HOU cheating scandal. It isn't new info at all. The Sox had nothing to do with it. 

Gotta ask why it's suddenly revisited this week. Don't have any doubt there will be more dirt as the summer sludges deeper into the gutter, like 0-2 home runs given up by Weissert.

 

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Gotta ask why it's suddenly revisited this week. Don't have any doubt there will be more dirt as the summer sludges deeper into the gutter, like 0-2 home runs given up by Weissert.

 

It got revisited because Alex Cora posted a bunch of photos of him going out with the boys on IG. Then people online started talking about it and found the stuff in Drellich's book. Articles were written a few days later. Media need an easy story and it was one. 

We've seen them really throw a lot of people under the bus in the past, but it seems Breslow didn't really do that this time. He's even downplayed some of the speculation about Fatse getting fired because of KC's performance. Breslow keeps a lot of things close to the chest and doesn't seem to leak much. If anything is getting leaked, my guess it's from Sam and friends rather than the CBO side of things. The only story we heard was that they were upset with how well DHam played and that Breslow had wanted to clean house when he first got there or whatever. Uh, ok? In terms of mudslinging, that doesn't hold a candle to what they have done in the past.