The Boston Red Sox once again suffered a heartbreaking loss last night and it’s clear that they still don’t know what their identity is as a team in 2019.
Another game and another loss. Last night in Houston the Red Sox could’ve walked away with a victory but once again squandered their chances. The Astros, on the other hand, didn’t waste their opportunities and pushed Boston further down the AL East standings. At just 2-games above .500, the Red Sox need to act fast if they want to salvage the year.
As May comes to a close it’s pretty clear to see that this Red Sox team has no idea what their lot is in life. When we look back at the 2018 squad we can see swagger, and knowledge that their bats and arms would always come through. Not so much this season. Long gone is the swagger and bravado of just a year ago.
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There was one moment in the game last night that stood out to me and that was during a play where both J.D. Martinez and Andrew Benintendi tried to advance on the base paths. Martinez stopped while Benintendi continued on to second base. The problem became that not J.D. was a man on an island and this forced a pickle play from Houston.
Martinez would eventually get tagged out and there was a shot of Benny back on first with just a look of frustration on his face. Now he could easily have been frustrated in himself for not watching Martinez better and retreating just as J.D. tried to do. But the look on his face was one I don’t remember seeing at any point last season.
This team is a shadow of the World Series squad from last year, the puzzle pieces are all there but they can’t see the image to put them all together. There are nights where the pitching is electric and can’t be touched and then there are nights where they can’t stop giving up runs. Same goes for the Red Sox offense.
We’ve seen on more than one occasion lately where double-digit run tallies are achieved without effort. And then there are nights when getting just a single guy on base seems likes climbing Mount Everest. The talent and dedication are there, the ingredients are all on the counter, but the recipe has been lost.
Am I saying the Red Sox should be cruising to another 108-win season? Absolutely not, that would be unrealistic. But with this level of quality on the roster, they in no way should be fledgling just above .500 and sitting 7.5 games off of the lead.
This season just hasn’t felt like anything that we saw in 2018. I know it isn’t fair to continue comparing the two campaigns but they shouldn’t feel so drastically different either. Last year we saw patient at-bats, aggressive yet strategic baserunning, and lights out pitching. Not much of that has made its way into 2019.
Do I believe that Alex Cora still has the ear of his clubhouse? You’re damn right I do, the buy-in still feels like it’s there but for some reason, they’re forgetting how to win. That may sound funny, that a team can’t remember how to win, but with a 27-25 record, it’s apparent. Something is off with the 2019 Red Sox and it seems evident that they don’t know what it is.
We can’t point to less talent, the only major departures were Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel, both wonderful pitchers that I wish were still on the team but not enough of a loss to sink the ship. Big names like Chris Sale and Xander Bogaerts got big money paydays in the offseason, so contracts shouldn’t be an issue. So what the hell is going on with the Red Sox?
If I had the honest answer to that question I’d probably be cashing a fat check and living somewhere on Beacon Hill. But since I don’t I’m just as lost as everyone else.
This season hasn’t been a complete wash though. We’ve seen great things from Rafael Devers and Michael Chavis both in the field and at the plate. There have also been great pitching performances from Marcus Walden and Ryan Weber out of the bullpen
There is just enough time left in the season that I feel that this squad can find themselves once again and reignite the fire that drove the World Series run from last year. Hell, go on a team-wide camping trip during the All-Star break to try and bond. Make some S’mores, get the dirty laundry out in the open and get back on the same page. May sound silly, but hell, at this point anything is worth it.
This Red Sox team has more than enough talent to right the ship an get back on track. With a short homestand coming up before a dire 4-game trip to Yankee Stadium, now is the time to act. If Boston can sweep Cleveland then do some damage in the Bronx the whole narrative on the season could be flipped. It won’t be easy but it sure as hell is achievable, and this is the perfect time to strike.
Boston has a chance to save their season and remind the rest of the baseball world just how good they are. They simply need to remind themselves first. When a team is faced with adversity it can be one of the most trying times in their existence, and one of their most prosperous.
"There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.-Malcolm X"
This Red Sox team has more than enough talent, desire, passion, and quality to overcome the first part of this season. They have enough season left to make another charge into October. If they truly want to do so then they must remember who they are and what they’re capable of first. It’s within them to do so, they just need to look.