"Shame on them if they can’t recover from their awful start and find a way to compete for at least the third wild card" - MLB insider sheds light on Boston Red Sox troubles this season; believes club can still turn things around
The Boston Red Sox have one of baseball's best hitters. His name is Xander Bogaerts. He's hitting .343 with 37 hits over 108 at-bats this season. His batting average is the American League's second-best. Only Los Angeles Angels infielder Taylor Ward owns a better one.
The Boston Red Sox also own one of Major League Baseball's proteges, Rafael Devers. He's only 25 years old, and he's already finished in the top 12 MVP voting twice. He owns a .308 batting average and has hit four home runs this year — the most by any Red Sox player.
Bogaerts brings the contact. Devers brings the power. Their teammates bring nothing. First baseman Bobby Dalbec is batting a shameful .139. Shortstop Trevor Story is hitting just .194. Red Sox fans have already booed him this year. Catcher Christian Vasquez is hitting .217. The three have combined for two home runs this year.
Trevor Story the big-name addition the #RedSox made for this season, hasn't lived up to the expectations, he is batting 194/.276/.269 for a 62 wRC+making him the 20th-worst hitter in all of baseball. https://t.co/joVKTNcaY8
"Trevor Story the big-name addition the #RedSox made for this season, hasn't lived up to the expectations, he is batting 194/.276/.269 for a 62 wRC+making him the 20th-worst hitter in all of baseball." - @ Sportskeeda Baseball
Boston Red Sox fans are running out of patience. Their team won the World Series in 2018 and is now dead last in the American League East. They're two games behind the Baltimore Orioles, who managed just 52 wins last season. In other words, it's time to sound the alarm in Boston.
Ken Rosenthal believes there's still hope for the Boston Red Sox
Ken Rosenthal has 1.3 million followers on Twitter. He's one of the most highly regarded voices of the baseball world, and now he's speaking out about the Red Sox situation. He thinks there's hope in Boston, but only if the organization reaches out and grabs it.
The MLB season is less than 20 percent complete.
Believe it or not, there's still time for the Red Sox to salvage their season.
There is a lot not to like with this team right now. But there is a lot that can turn quickly, writes @Ken_Rosenthal.
theathletic.com/3302899/2022/0… https://t.co/kyt79yCRWR
"The MLB season is less than 20 percent complete. Believe it or not, there's still time for the Red Sox to salvage their season. There is a lot not to like with this team right now. But there is a lot that can turn quickly, writes @Ken_Rosenthal" - @ The Athletic MLB
Rosenthal has no problem shaming the Red Sox if they can't pick up their feet and start playing like the team they're built to be. They own a massive payroll and have well-exceeded the league's luxury tax threshold. This isn't an organization like the Cincinnati Reds. Boston's ownership is willing to pump money into the franchise. Now the players have to show they're worth it.
"If the Boston offense was performing to expectations, the pressure on the team’s embattled bullpen would reduce. Instead, the Sox are 0-6 in extra innings, 3-7 in one-run games and 10-19 overall. Not ideal for a team with a cash payroll of $218.1 million and a luxury-tax payroll of $236.6 million, $6.6 million above the new initial threshold."
Paying out $218.1 million is more than enough money to create a winning franchise. Just ask the San Francisco Giants. Their 2022 payroll is just $153 million.
Rosenthal believes most of the Red Sox problems have stemmed from its bullpen. Its injury struggles are evident, and Rosenthal thinks its healthy members are underperforming.
"[Matt] Barnes has been awful, Josh Taylor remains out with a back problem and [Garrett] Whitlock is in the rotation."
Despite their struggles, Rosenthal warns against Boston selling its team in hopes of building a winning squad next year. Trading Bogaerts at the deadline is a bad idea; they need to be buyers. Rosenthal asks:
"How much better would the Sox be if they had signed Kenley Jansen, who agreed to a one-year, $16 million free-agent contract with the Braves, or Kendall Graveman, who took a two-year, $24 million deal with the White Sox?"
The short answer is that the Boston Red Sox would be a lot better with a strong closer. American League East games are going to be close more often than not. Good closers steal wins that would otherwise be lost by shaky relievers. Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano is a perfect example of this. He has 12 saves already. That's 12 extra wins for the Blue Jays that might've been losses without him.
Here's the bottom line: The Boston Red Sox cannot give up on this year. Wait for Trevor Story's bat to come alive. Keep an eye on Bobby Dalbec. If they fail to meet expectations, address the issue in the offseason. For now, Boston fans just want good baseball.