In the end, the Red Sox were who we thought they were
The Boston Globe • • sports
Key Points:
- The 2026 Boston Red Sox season was marked by regression, with the team scoring 97 fewer runs than the previous year, winning fewer games, and suffering a poor showing in the Wild Card Series despite a strong 32-5 stretch that masked months of subpar performance.
- The team’s heavy reliance on analytics and cost-efficient strategies led to questionable managerial decisions in the playoffs, including the use of struggling pitcher Erik Miller, and the choice not to invest in proven sluggers like Rafael Devers, Alex Bregman, or Pete Alonso.
- The Red Sox’s offense struggled significantly in September and the playoffs, posting MLB’s worst September offense (.219 average) and being outscored 18-2 in two playoff games without a hit with a runner on base, highlighting the flaws in their current roster construction.
- The article also touches on wider sports topics, including the Boston Celtics’ ongoing challenges following the Jaylen Brown trade, the New York Jets’ interception drought, and various local sports news and trivia.
