"It was one of the worst scenes I'd seen in baseball" - Red Sox's ex-GM on how Yankees loss in 2003 ALCS left the team broken
Netflix's documentary about the Boston Red Sox's World Series-winning campaign in 2004 premiered on October 24. In the first episode of the show, former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein talked about the state of dejection in the clubhouse following the Red Sox's loss to the New York Yankees in 2003's ALCS.
In a rollercoaster of a series, the two sides found themselves locked at three games apiece after six. The Red Sox ended up on the losing side in the most heartbreaking of ways, as current Yankees skipper Aaron Boone hit a towering walk-off homer in the 11th inning to seal the win for his team.
Looking back at the events of the fateful day, Epstein said:
"Oh, my god. I get down to the clubhouse, and it was one of the worst scenes I'd seen in baseball. You're just thinking, you can't believe it's over, and these f*****s did it again. Really? We're just going to be another in the long line of teams that fall short and lose to the Yankees [you think to yourself]." Epstein said [Part 1, Timestamp - 1:00:30].
Changes galore for the Boston Red Sox coaching staff after unsatisfactory 2024 season - reports
Despite being on a roll at one point in the season and having a strong chance of making the playoffs, the Red Sox ended the season placed a disappointing sixth in the AL wildcard standings, well short of postseason qualification.
Since their World Series win in 2018, the Boston Red Sox have made the postseason only once, which is not good enough for a franchise with the kind of history and fanbase of the Boston outfit. After falling out of contention in 2024, numerous changes were in order for the organization.
According to reports, trainer Ben Chadwick, bullpen catcher Mani Martinez, bullpen coach Kevin Walker, first base coach Andy Fox, hitting coach Luis Ortiz and mental skills coach Ray Fuentes are some of the individuals that have been dismissed. For skipper Alex Cora, however, Boston extended the services of the Puerto Rican, agreeing to a deal worth roughly $7 million per year for three years.
Fans will be hoping the changes made prove to be fruitful, and are visible in the team's performances during the 2025 season, as Boston will be looking to qualify for the playoffs after three consecutive seasons of missing out.