A Realistic View at the 2026 Red Sox Part II

[oldtimer]

The Sox have many impactful players who could return before the year is out, Of those, Rutschman, Story and Kiner-Falafa seem closest. In addition Anthony, Crochett, Mead, Oviedo, Crawford and Houch might become available in Sept. Arias is also a dark horse for promotion.

With an unbelievably hot team now, who drops off the 26(27) man roster to accommodate any of these. Rutschman has a spot to fill, Story and Kiner-Falafa not so obvious. Anthony could be an Impact player and Mead was acquired to fill second base. 

It's a good problem to have but management needs to consider the disruption of a red hot team when returning guys from the injured list.

 

[Bellhorn04]

37 minutes ago, oldtimer said:

The Sox have many impactful players who could return before the year is out, Of those, Rutschman, Story and Kiner-Falafa seem closest. In addition Anthony, Crochett, Mead, Oviedo, Crawford and Houch might become available in Sept. Arias is also a dark horse for promotion.

With an unbelievably hot team now, who drops off the 26(27) man roster to accommodate any of these. Rutschman has a spot to fill, Story and Kiner-Falafa not so obvious. Anthony could be an Impact player and Mead was acquired to fill second base. 

It's a good problem to have but management needs to consider the disruption of a red hot team when returning guys from the injured list.

 

For some reason my confidence in Breslow and Tracy being able to deal with these things is pretty high right now. 🙂 

[jad]

3 hours ago, Maxbialystock said:

If you can hit, you get to play, even at SS.  

Unless you're, you know, ,,, Yoshida.

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

For some reason my confidence in Breslow and Tracy being able to deal with these things is pretty high right now. 🙂 

The lows were low. The highs are high. I like the group where it is right now. Once future moves are made? I'm not so sure! 

[mvp 78]

Just now, jad said:

Unless you're, you know, ,,, Yoshida.

Yup.

[moonslav59]

45 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Yeah, I'm not saying it's nailed on. Just that there is any chance and if finds it, I'd like his power threat and defence over Mona. 

I'm not enthusiastically pushing for it by any means.

I don't like Story's defense at SS, at all. I know Monasterio is apparently not very good, but Story was getting worse and worse, so I'm expecting continued decline on defense.

I do like his power. I mentioned he was at a 30 HR per /162 games over the second half of 2025. That and an .838 OPS is enough for me to keep him on the 40 over the winter, assuming no trade.

I'm not even sure Story can be net zero at 2B defense, but I'm willing to give him a chance over anyone but a healthy Mead.

That brings me to DH. Yoshida has been one of our best batters for 5-6 weeks, but Story could platoon with him and then play some 2B vs some RHPs. This also assumes Seigler is not on a hot streak. If he is, I'd make Story wait it out even if as the utility IF'er.

[Hitch]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

I don't like Story's defense at SS, at all. I know Monasterio is apparently not very good, but Story was getting worse and worse, so I'm expecting continued decline on defense.

I do like his power. I mentioned he was at a 30 HR per /162 games over the second half of 2025. That and an .838 OPS is enough for me to keep him on the 40 over the winter, assuming no trade.

I'm not even sure Story can be net zero at 2B defense, but I'm willing to give him a chance over anyone but a healthy Mead.

That brings me to DH. Yoshida has been one of our best batters for 5-6 weeks, but Story could platoon with him and then play some 2B vs some RHPs. This also assumes Seigler is not on a hot streak. If he is, I'd make Story wait it out even if as the utility IF'er.

Yeah same,I don't love it either. I'm only talking in comparison to Mona who scares the s*** out of me.

Arias performing again today. He's banging on that door.

 

[moonslav59]

14 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Yeah same,I don't love it either. I'm only talking in comparison to Mona who scares the s*** out of me.

Arias performing again today. He's banging on that door.

 

I've also said I'm not sold on Mona, but that sample size is over 350 PAs and growing longer and rising upwards.

Ride the train.

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

Everyone knows we have 2 gold glovers in the outfield but what I've really enjoyed is watching our infield play defense.  They make the tough play every night.  Contraras is a big reason for that, so many errors in the past were throwing errors and their previous first basemen never bailed out the guy who made the bad throw.  I know the SS's metrics are poor but I don't think he's so bad and the corners have been awesome.  Hard hit balls are scooped up all the time, so many good double plays are being turned.  Just a fun group to watch.  

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, Yaz Fan Since 67 said:

Everyone knows we have 2 gold glovers in the outfield but what I've really enjoyed is watching our infield play defense.  They make the tough play every night.  Contraras is a big reason for that, so many errors in the past were throwing errors and their previous first basemen never bailed out the guy who made the bad throw.  I know the SS's metrics are poor but I don't think he's so bad and the corners have been awesome.  Hard hit balls are scooped up all the time, so many good double plays are being turned.  Just a fun group to watch.  

yes indeed. Our pitching numbers look better, in part to better defense.

[UtahSox]

1 hour ago, Hitch said:

I feel like IFK is done. I'd be surprised if there is room for him if a) this run keeps going, and b) we get all our guys back to fitness. So I'm not worried about that so much. 

The only SS we have who's been good at D is Cheng and he's down to stay now I imagine. 

Mona is not better than Story on D. If Mona hits and Story doesn't, there's no contest, it stays Mona. If Story gets in a groove there's also no contest.

Time will tell us which happens. Neither is sure. 

I'm not sure they're going to move Story do 2nd but it could happen. 

I’d forgotten about IKF… he’s gonna be “slow played” back to health, see if we have any injuries.. but I think it would take a lot to give him PT. 

Romy, IKF, Mead, Story, Monasterio, Seigler maybe Arias: a lot of right hand hitting MIF 

[moonslav59]

Just now, UtahSox said:

I’d forgotten about IKF… he’s gonna be “slow played” back to health, see if we have any injuries.. but I think it would take a lot to give him PT. 

Romy, IKF, Mead, Story, Monasterio, Seigler maybe Arias: a lot of right hand hitting MIF 

IKF was hot before going on the IL, but he has a long history of low offensive production.

I doubt he gets playing Time.

[drewski6]

Rosters go to 28 in a little over 3 weeks and stay at 28 until playoffs.  Then once playoffs come, I think one guy who likely wont make playoff roster is sandoval or bello (I predict they will carry one not both).

[drewski6]

I believe in 5 bench players in playoffs because you run a 4 man rotation and therefore your fifth starter becomes long relief and you dont have to carry your long relief....but im not sure if teams still do this (carry an extra position plyaer in playoffs)....

[moonslav59]

16 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Rosters go to 28 in a little over 3 weeks and stay at 28 until playoffs.  Then once playoffs come, I think one guy who likely wont make playoff roster is sandoval or bello (I predict they will carry one not both).

I believe the WC series is 3 home games to higher seed in 3 days, then a day off. (Winning the division would be nice and top 2 record.)

Round 2: 2 home- day off, 2 away- day off- 1 Home- day off

Pennant: 2-3-2 w days off between.

Yes, only 4 SP'ers are needed- 3 at times, maybe.

[mvp 78]

La Sorsa was released. This paves the way for Casas to return to the roster. 😎

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

Casas.....Casas....,  Nope, name doesn't ring a bell.  

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, drewski6 said:

I believe in 5 bench players in playoffs because you run a 4 man rotation and therefore your fifth starter becomes long relief and you dont have to carry your long relief....but im not sure if teams still do this (carry an extra position plyaer in playoffs)....

That's actually an interesting question.  So far as I know, in the regular season, you can only carry 13 pitchers.  Does that mean you can only carry 13 hitters?

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Yaz Fan Since 67 said:

Casas.....Casas....,  Nope, name doesn't ring a bell.  

Translation: Houses, Houses

[moonslav59]

46 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

That's actually an interesting question.  So far as I know, in the regular season, you can only carry 13 pitchers.  Does that mean you can only carry 13 hitters?

No. The max is 13 pitchers. No max on everyday, except I guess 26.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

Translation: Houses, Houses

I think Moon has made the winning argument on this exchange.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

I think Moon has made the winning argument on this exchange.

Mi Casas- tu houses.

[moonslav59]

Man-o-man, this team is destined for I don't know what!

[moonslav59]

Tied in loss column with idle Yanks.

Top 3 AL East teams above all others by 4+ games. Has that ever happened?

-4 behind Yanks in run differential and AL lead.

We used 9 pitchers and pulled it out!

We walked 7 times, had a HBP and had 16 hits. That's gonna boost some O stats. All with no Willson!

Somehow Duran still found a way to go 0 for 5.

Durbin is now at .730. Monasterio ,782 and Seigler nearing .700, again.

Big hit by Wong and so many others, including Durbin's. Maybe most impressive of all was all the small ball success. 3 sac bunts- I think all led to a run, plus a sac fly.

The 2018 team was very talented and special, but this team is doing things no Sox team has ever done, or even come close to doing.

[vegasbob]

13 hours ago, dannycater said:

The guys that are helping team win are the guys that are playing right now, not the Meads, the Storys, the Anthonys, even Crochet...the catcher they acquired is perfect need and once he is healthy catching will be two-way instead of defense only. I don't care if Monasterio and Sogard (plus Seigler) aren't the end all for people, but I can tell that you when you go 30-5, these are mojo guys, and they are playing stellar defense despite the analytics. I got an eye test at Dodger Stadium, pretty f***ing good.

While waiting for Rutsch to begin hitting  Connor Wong is doing well while catching almost every inning.

Rogers got into the White Sox sweep game late, and did help.

[Hitch]

4 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Man-o-man, this team is destined for I don't know what!

This is the most fun I've ever had watching a Sox team.

We won't see anything like this again.

[dannycater]

3 hours ago, Hitch said:

This is the most fun I've ever had watching a Sox team.

We won't see anything like this again.

for all the WS teams, and great teams that I loved 2003, 1975, 1977-78 and a few others that fell short, this is the most improbable, epic run by a Sox team you'll ever see--a team that was so bad it was unwatchable first 3 months of the season. It still is just mind-boggling. How do you flip a switch like this with mostly the same players?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

49 minutes ago, dannycater said:

for all the WS teams, and great teams that I loved 2003, 1975, 1977-78 and a few others that fell short, this is the most improbable, epic run by a Sox team you'll ever see--a team that was so bad it was unwatchable first 3 months of the season. It still is just mind-boggling. How do you flip a switch like this with mostly the same players?

Answer: the ADHDeedeedeedeedee Era (I can joke since my whole family has it):

younger peeps have no time to dwell, instantaneously changing channels, tunes, moods, decisions, directions. Everything's a collage of overlapping collages -- my wife, who's a lot younger than me, flips through movies on the remote menu before I can even read the descriptions, and changes songs before I can name that tune.

I've never observed my son listening to an entire song... all his teammates have personalized walk-up songs when they step into the batter's box -- 5 seconds of an intro or verse, then it's Play Ball!

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, Hitch said:

This is the most fun I've ever had watching a Sox team.

We won't see anything like this again.

It seemed to be worth more when I was teen for those mid 70's teams, but yes, this is more fun. Then, it was often heart-breaking.

2018 wire to wire was the funnest full season. The 2004 season was the funnest ending. The 2013 season was most surprising.

[JoeBrady]

7 hours ago, vegasbob said:

Rogers got into the White Sox sweep game late, and did help.

I'd never seen him before and never heard of him.  He laid off 2-3 tough pitches.  It was a nice showing.  And Mead and Rogers are both sporting .500 OBPs.