Nearly a full month into the 2026 season, the Boston Red Sox haven't delivered on many of their expected offseason improvements. Their rotation has longevity problems, the offense is nonexistent with no top prospects from the minor leagues coming to their rescue, and the defense has been even worse than last year's, somehow.
All of these failings have resulted in a 9-16 record to start the season, the second-worst in the American League behind the Kansas City Royals in the shockingly competitive AL Central. Yes, it's still early, but a full month of poor play with virtually no signs of improvement is deeply concerning for a team confident it would be in the postseason just weeks ago.
While the playoffs are still months away and they should be far out of Boston's mind when everything is going wrong in the present, its poor start could already be killing its playoff chances. Robbie Hyde of the "Monster Territory" podcast on April 24 posted on Twitter a list of teams with the worst records through the first 25 games of a season that still made the playoffs. The results could be framed as encouraging, but won't be for long.
The 2015 Texas Rangers have the same record that Boston does, as of this writing, 9-16. Only the 2001 then-Oakland Athletics and the 2024 Houston Astros have made the postseason with worse records. They went 8-17 and 7-18, respectively in their first 25 games.
Red Sox are getting dangerously close to historically low chances of making the playoffs in 2026
Worst starts by MLB Teams through 25 games that would go onto make the Postseason:
— Robbie Hyde (@gingersnaphyde) April 24, 2026
2024 Astros (7-18)
2001 Athletics (8-17)
2015 Rangers (9-16)
2006 Twins (9-16)
2014 Pirates (10-15)
2009 Rockies (10-15)
2007 Rockies (10-15)
2005 Padres (10-15)
2005 Yankees (10-15)
The Red Sox are just two losses away from what history suggests is a potentially insurmountable deficit when it comes to postseason contention. Unfortunately, Boston has shown no signs of its issues changing soon.
The Red Sox have scored two runs or less in six of their last seven games. Wilyer Abreu is ice cold. Roman Anthony is on the sidelines with back tightness that has already lingered longer than expected. Boston doesn't have a single player with an OPS over .800. It's swing decisions are among the worst in the league, night in and night out.
Garrett Crochet hasn't looked like himself, Ranger Suárez has been inconsistent, as has Brayan Bello, and Sonny Gray is on the injured list. As the rotation struggles to go deep into games, the bullpen is often overtaxed, and many of the Sox's relievers are having their own troubles besides their overuse.
History shows that the Red Sox can't exist in this funk for much longer without sacrificing their playoff hopes. If they turn things around quickly, there's still a possibility that they could keep pace with the rest of the AL, but they'll need to play high-level baseball for almost the rest of the year to land in the top of the division.
Stranger things have happened. Anything is possible. But Boston will need to get it together quickly to have a single shred of history on its side.
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