A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[moonslav59]

5 hours ago, notin said:

Anthony LF

Yoshida DH

Abreu RF

Contreras 1b

Story 2b

Mayer 3b

Rafaela CF

Cheng SS

Narvaez C

 

There you go…

 

 

This makes too much sense.

[Hitch]

9 hours ago, notin said:

Anthony LF

Yoshida DH

Abreu RF

Contreras 1b

Story 2b

Mayer 3b

Rafaela CF

Cheng SS

Narvaez C

 

There you go…

 

 

They are not going to give up on Durbin already. Nor should they. 

The acceptable sample size for judging players is decreasing by the day.

 

[Old Red]

2 hours ago, Hitch said:

They are not going to give up on Durbin already. Nor should they. 

The acceptable sample size for judging players is decreasing by the day.

 

It’s pretty good for the batter when you can go 1-5 and your average goes up. Hovering around 100 is not a good look at all, but Durbin was down to 093.🤭🙈🤮

[Old Red]

5 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

This makes too much sense.

This makes NO sense at all this early in the season especially.

[Hitch]

5 hours ago, Old Red said:

It’s pretty good for the batter when you can go 1-5 and your average goes up. Hovering around 100 is not a good look at all, but Durbin was down to 093.🤭🙈🤮

Yes let's just chuck everyone away that has a rough few weeks. Let's get rid of Anthony and Mayer, too. Who needs 'em! 🙅‍♂️

[notin]

4 hours ago, Old Red said:

It’s pretty good for the batter when you can go 1-5 and your average goes up. Hovering around 100 is not a good look at all, but Durbin was down to 093.🤭🙈🤮

Yes.  I’m sure that brings huge smiles to Durbin…

[notin]

6 hours ago, Hitch said:

They are not going to give up on Durbin already. Nor should they. 

The acceptable sample size for judging players is decreasing by the day.

 

While they probably give Durbin a longer leash than Campbell had, DEMOTING A YOUNG PLAYER IS NOT GIVING UP ON HIM.  
 

 

[Hitch]

33 minutes ago, notin said:

While they probably give Durbin a longer leash than Campbell had, DEMOTING A YOUNG PLAYER IS NOT GIVING UP ON HIM.  
 

 

No need to shout. Let me simplify it for you - they're not going to send him down.

[notin]

23 minutes ago, Hitch said:

No need to shout. Let me simplify it for you - they're not going to send him down.

Like I said, I doubt they will.  At least not in April.  But he’s not really giving them a reason not to, and Cheng is giving them a reason to notice him…

 

[Old Red]

23 minutes ago, Hitch said:

No need to shout. Let me simplify it for you - they're not going to send him down.

I agree they are not going to send Dubin down, and nor should they at this early juncture. I don’t expect much from Dubin anyway as I’ve said since the Red Sox traded for him, because he was just a cheap settle anyway. I didn’t expect him to be this bad though. Mayer is still a Suspect, and little Anthony is playing like one on both sides of the ball. Not hitting has led to losses though, and they all count, and add up even in Mar-April.

[moonslav59]

11 hours ago, Hitch said:

They are not going to give up on Durbin already. Nor should they. 

The acceptable sample size for judging players is decreasing by the day.

 

Durbin could remain on the bench (demote Monasterio) and maybe play vs LHPs. This move need not be permanent.

[JoeBrady]

On 4/10/2026 at 1:55 PM, Duran Is The Man said:

one guy i thought we might miss a little bit was Refsnyder, who is currently hitless in 15 trips to the plate this season for the Mariners. 🤪

Almost all the guys some fans thought were a 'must-signs' have been awful.

• Alonso .522
• Bregman .609
• Bichette .628
• Paredes .682
• Marte .585
• Suarez .652
• Schwarber .850 is the only 'okay' guy so far.

And Devers is at .609.  It's early but it is going to be tough to justify those contracts.

[JoeBrady]

On 4/11/2026 at 1:08 PM, Randy Red Sox said:

What  I will say is that several of the additions have underperformed. IE: Durbin, Suarez,  Conteras just to name 3.

I agree,  Except for Suarez, who just looked great.  And except for Contreras, who's been one of my favorite players.

[JoeBrady]

On 4/11/2026 at 12:58 PM, moonslav59 said:

...and losing trade value by the week.

I don't think professional GMs weight one week as all that important.  Heck, even in fantasy leagues, I'd say 98% of the GMs pay very little attention to weekly results.

[JoeBrady]

7 hours ago, Hitch said:

Yes let's just chuck everyone away that has a rough few weeks. Let's get rid of Anthony and Mayer, too. Who needs 'em! 🙅‍♂️

Not everyone deals in reality.

[moonslav59]

49 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I don't think professional GMs weight one week as all that important.  Heck, even in fantasy leagues, I'd say 98% of the GMs pay very little attention to weekly results.

Agreed. I'm usually the one saying this to others.

I do think Duran's stock fell last year, and he's not helping things to start 2026.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

Almost all the guys some fans thought were a 'must-signs' have been awful.

• Alonso .522
• Bregman .609
• Bichette .628
• Paredes .682
• Marte .585
• Suarez .652
• Schwarber .850 is the only 'okay' guy so far.

And Devers is at .609.  It's early but it is going to be tough to justify those contracts.

Some others mentioned or notable players:

.158 Refsnyder

.237 Ozuna

.392 Arenado 

.393 V Grissom

.418 Rengifo

.455 Bohm

.477 Stott

.501 Chisholm

.526 Semien

.548 Keaschall

.549 Baty

.558 Brice Matthews

.565 Polanco

.590 Moncada

.593 Bichette

.596 M McLain

.598 Meidroth

.600 DHam

.616 Okamoto

.634 G Torres

.640 Matt Shaw

.648 Bogey

_______________________________

***.650 seems like the new .700 in MLB***

_______________________________

.659 Kyle Tucker

.687 Kurtz

.688 Vientos

.698 O'Neill

.698 Paredes

.710 Betts

.714 E Tovar

.715 Realmutto

.719 Murakami

.732 Arraez

.736 Seager

__________________

.782 Andujar

.805 Ryan Jeffers

.813 W Adames

.822 Royce Lewis

.855 Hyeseong Kim

.858 Teoscar H

.863 Max Muncy LAD

,873 Dubon

________________

.899 Neto

.901 Nick Yorke

.911 Hoerner

.926 Josh Bell

.937 Tristan Gray

.938 Dominic Smith

.965 B Lowe

.968 O'Hearn

.969 CJ Abrams

.984 C Vazquez

1.005 James Wood

1.025 Yandy Diaz

1.947 Rushing (11 AB) notin's guy

[moonslav59]

Updated Sox OPS:

.975 Wong

.974 Abreu

.957 Contreras

.868 Yoshida

.815 Rafaela

_____________

.617 Mayer

.599 Anthony

.563 Duran

_____________

.508 Monasterio

.507 Narvaez

.461 Story

______________

.336 Durbin

.258 IKF

[moonslav59]

Maybe now is the time to go on a roll...

MON @ MIN (Crochet)

TUE @ MIN (Gray)

WED @ MIN (Early)

THU OFF

FRI vs DET (Suarez w extra day of rest)

SAT vs DET (Bello w extra day)

SUN vs DET (Crochet w xtra day)

MON vs DET (Gray w xtra day)

3 vs NYY (Early>Suarez>Bello)

3 at BAL (Crochet>Gray>Early)

MON 4/27 Off (after 10 straight games)

[moonslav59]

AL East after 15 games

8-7 TBR  (-10 run diff)

8-7 NYY (+21)

8-7 BAL (+1)

6-9 BOS (+0) 2 GB

6-9 TOR (-25) 2 GB

[moonslav59]

Maybe try this...

Demote Kelly & Monasterio.

Promote Tolle (pen) & Cheng.

Ideally, Cheng plays SS, Mayer 3B & Story 2B, but we all know Cora won't move Story off SS. (Durbin takes over Monasterio's bench role and maybe plays vs LHPs, as LHBs Mayer or Cheng sit out.)

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

8-7 NYY (+21)

8-7 BAL (+1)

6-9 BOS (+0) 2 GB

6-9 TOR (-25) 2 GB

I wonder if NYY fans (5 straight losses) and TO fans (-25!), have quit for the season?

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I wonder if NYY fans (5 straight losses) and TO fans (-25!), have quit for the season?

Hey, we've won 4 of 6, so those who cling to the recency factor should be elated.

Where is the Rafaela basher? (He's at .815.)

[Duran Is The Man]

4 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Maybe try this...

Demote Kelly & Monasterio.

Promote Tolle (pen) & Cheng.

Ideally, Cheng plays SS, Mayer 3B & Story 2B, but we all know Cora won't move Story off SS. (Durbin takes over Monasterio's bench role and maybe plays vs LHPs, as LHBs Mayer or Cheng sit out.)

such a good idea, it'll never happen. 

[moonslav59]

4 minutes ago, Duran Is The Man said:

such a good idea, it'll never happen. 

You just know: zero chance.

[mvp 78]

On 4/12/2026 at 3:46 AM, Hitch said:

They are not going to give up on Durbin already. Nor should they. 

The acceptable sample size for judging players is decreasing by the day.

 

He's doing exactly what they brought here to do: play good defense and put the ball in play. I don't believe the 128 BABIP is going to look like that all season. 

[mvp 78]

21 hours ago, notin said:

While they probably give Durbin a longer leash than Campbell had, DEMOTING A YOUNG PLAYER IS NOT GIVING UP ON HIM.  

There's a lot more investment in KC and KC's ceiling is SO much higher than Durbin's. If you mess up Durbin, it's not a big deal. If you mess up KC, it's kind of a big deal. 

[mvp 78]

13 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Maybe try this...

Demote Kelly & Monasterio.

Promote Tolle (pen) & Cheng.

Ideally, Cheng plays SS, Mayer 3B & Story 2B, but we all know Cora won't move Story off SS. (Durbin takes over Monasterio's bench role and maybe plays vs LHPs, as LHBs Mayer or Cheng sit out.)

Cheng has never hit before this season. You'd bring up another guy that can't hit??? That makes no sense to me. Monasterio is a passable fielder and is getting on base. 

[mvp 78]

Cheng 2025

[moonslav59]

51 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Cheng has never hit before this season. You'd bring up another guy that can't hit??? That makes no sense to me. Monasterio is a passable fielder and is getting on base. 

Not as a permanent solution.

Yes, bring up the hot hand.