Can the Red Sox recover from a 2
The Boston Globe • • sports
Key Points:
- The 2011 Red Sox experienced a catastrophic collapse, starting 2-10 and finishing with a September meltdown that cost them a playoff spot, serving as a cautionary tale for the 2026 team’s poor start.
- Pedro Martínez and Tim Wakefield emphasized the importance of a strong April to set the tone for the season, with Papelbon expressing doubt about the current Red Sox’s pitching and intensity to recover from their early struggles.
- Early season losses have historically been a significant hurdle for playoff qualification, with only 6.5% of MLB teams starting 2-8 or worse making the postseason, and the Red Sox never overcoming such a start.
- However, the expanded 12-team playoff format and examples like the 2011 Rays and last year’s Brewers suggest that a poor start is not necessarily fatal, as many playoff teams have endured similar early slumps.
- Despite the slim chances, the 2026 Red Sox must urgently prove their early losses are an anomaly rather than a season-long trend to keep their postseason hopes alive.
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