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It wasn’t just two rookies and a few pitchers you expected to get hurt. Fangraphs had the Sox losing 14 fWAR due to injury, fourth most in MLB. But that’s insignificant? Sure they could have made the roster stronger, but thats doesn’t mean the injuries did not make an impact because “every team has them.”

Even if said rookie was clearly making an impact?

Maybe because they’re not left with Hamilton, Eaton, Refsnyder, etc. every night.

Maybe the Sox need to start listening to me when o say “put Fitts in the bullpen!” Just like I did with Whitlock as the Sox were repeatedly trying to square peg him into the rotation. I think I’m going to update my resume for that GM position. Anyone want to “vouch” for the work I did getting the Padres bullpen back in shape? Or should I use a lower profile team like the Nats or Royals?

Oh and to answer your question, it’s going to be Yoshida who smacks the necessary home runs, just to further complicate releasing him this off-season..

I would only consider the 2011 team to be chokers. Although a more realistic label might be “quitters”…

I agree. One problem I have is people refuse to differentiate between a team choking and another team gettting insanely hot. The 1978 team won 99 games!! Since 1947, only the 2018 team has won more games. And it was the Red Sox who won “down the stretch” to force game 163 while the Yankees lost. But the Yankees played .750 baseball for over 3 months that year, which is an insanely hot pace for an insanely long time. The bulk of that comeback took place in late July/early August…

Whats your point? That injuries were not a factor because players have been injured before and a theory that the Sox will ruin pitchers again? And some of this might be ancient history. Bregman has played in 461 out of 486 games over the last 3 years. How was his injury expected? Are you saying he was clearly due?

Of course his premise was the Sox have a long history of choking “down the stretch.” The 1986 team made it all the way to Game 7 of the World Series, and while Game 6 of that series fell apart, let’s not forget that team had an equally impressive comeback from the brink in the ALCS. Oh and that was also 39 years ago. I would bet not a single person affiliated with the team then is still in the organization, including hot dog vendors. Might as well lead with “This team choked when Pesky held the ball in ‘46 and THEY’RE DOING IT AGAIN!! Same story every 79 years!!!”

Quote from this blog (Was I the only one who read this?): “If the Red Sox end up missing the playoffs, injuries may arguably be the biggest deciding factor. If they don’t make the postseason, it’s unlikely to be by more than a game or two, and they’ve certainly missed out on more than a few wins in value to the IL. Some of those impactful players who hit the IL include Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Triston Casas, Alex Bregman, Roman Anthony, and Marcelo Mayer. The Mets and Diamondbacks are fighting for the final NL Wild Card spot, and both teams have also suffered more-than-average injury losses in 2025. So have the Braves, but they’re so far back that they can’t reasonably cite injuries as their reason for not making the postseason.” I mean, the team was winning. People got hurt . They stopped winning. The Fangraphs author cites them losing 14 fWAR due to injuries, fourth most in MLB, behind Houston, Baltimore and Los Angeles. I assume he counted Wilyer Abreu, despite not specifically mentioning him by name… Just because every team has injuries didnt make them equal…

Oh Password is a long shot. Hes a three card draw hoping for an inside straight. But Ref/Eaton/Romy is a pair of 4s. Easily beaten…

I could see Kyle going back to Chicago to replace Kyle…

Hint: 2011 was the only time they choked down the stretch. I mean, 1986? They won the division by double digits. How does that count as a choke down the stretch? We They supposed to win it by triple digits?

And that’s fair. I actually expected him to be in on a 1b solution. But I’m also glad he didn’t go crazy like some other teams that are going to miss the passion and I’m glad he didn’t get Joe Ryan, because Ryan has pitched abysmally for the last two months.

You keep listing Gonzalez as if Hes supposed to be a key contributor. Hes a utility infielder that hits LHP. We acquired him after he was released by the White Sox. Bregman and Yoshida have been awful, but if you expect those two to carry any team, you’re going to be disappointed…

Curse Breslow for injuring Anthony, Abreu, Casas, Dobbins, Fitts, Casas, May, Guerrero, Hendriks. And those are just the guys out today. And probably not all of them. But Judge did miss 10 games and the Yankees do have 2 more wins, so it’s all even…

Bergen has been awful since returning. Ditto Yoshida. But when you start listing the bench guys as “not doing their jobs,” you have to remember Theyre not supposed to be starting. Cora isnt playing a minimum of two from Eaton, Ref, Romy and Hamilton in every game because he is trying to rest thr starters; Hes playing them because they’re all that’s left. These guys are getting about 25-30% of the plate appearances now. Maybe the Sox could call up Campbell and Password and hope their higher ceilings show up. But that is the only other option he has. Well, he could not bat Duran 8th anymore. Maybe try to get one of the few actual starters Thats hitting more plate appearances…

Not all teams are injured equally. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/which-teams-have-suffered-the-most-from-injuries/

Bregman’s second half - .246/.329/.382. Not counting today. It’s just one year, really one half of one year. But he turns 32 next March and the $25-30mill AAVs for players his age coming off injury are rare. It’s not like he’s Aaron Judge when healthy. If (when, let’s face it) he stays for one more year, gets paid $40mill, and then gets a presumably shorter and cheaper deal next year, but it will probably be the overall more lucrative and stable strategy. I doubt he gets a 5 year $125mill deal this year, but a year from now can he get a 4 year $88 mill deal?

I didn’t say Boras would do it. I said I would. See, it’s not so much a statement about how agents act but rather one about how stupid it would be for Bregman to opt out this year. I cannot believe I had to explain that…

Hes a year older, coming off a weak second half, and going to cost a draft pick. At least one team will save a ton of money and a pick and sign Eugenio Suarez, who is only two years older…

That is how it works. Bregman clearly does not want stability over max dollars. He hired Scott Boras for a reason, and like all Boras clients throughout history (with the exceptions of Jared Weaver and Carls Gonzalez), that one reason was to get BOTH max dollars and long term stability. Agents give advice and take direction from their clients. But if they go against your advice, you are under no obligation to stay in their employ. Bregman might want stability, etc. But his agent might also feel that Bregman’’a weak second half won’t get him the deal he wants, and therefore it is unwise to walk away from FORTY MILLION DOLLARS for one year. Plenty of players in Bregman’s position have taken one term deals to re-establish their value. No team is going over $40mill for one year. His best deal is the one he already has. And his agent has every right to advise him thusly and drop him if it doesn’t work out. His real agent might not do so, but he certainly can if he wants to…

I looked up Judge and edited that post. Judge has missed 10 games this year, probably not all due to injury. He missed 4 games last year. So your argument is the Yankees have been depleted by injuries because Judge missed 14 games in two seasons?

Judge has missed 10 games this year and 14 in the last two years combined. He might not be the best example for a team overcoming injuries…

Since scoring 6 runs in one inning off Will Warren, the Sox have scored 9 runs in their last 36 innings…