The Boston Red Sox's 2026 season didn't start in the way many imagined it would — ugly pitching, sleepy bats and sloppy defense led to a 2-8 start, which tied the team's worst in franchise history. At Busch Stadium on April 11 and 12, there was no trace of that team.
The Red Sox have rallied to win four of their last five games after their horrendous first two weeks. They claimed series wins over the Milwaukee Brewers, perennial playoff contenders, and the overperforming St. Louis Cardinals.
Everything that made Boston so bad in the first three series of the season flipped against its two recent National League Central opponents. The starting rotation went a full cycle of longer, cleaner outings, the Sox made better swing decisions and the defensive miscues slowed. If Willson Contreras' comments are correct, the changes come down to belief (subscription required).
"I think the most important thing is to keep up our energy, the energy we brought to St. Louis since day one," Contreras said to NESN's Jahmai Webster after Boston's 9-3 win on April 12.
"I think believing in ourself, I think that's the most important thing... Having that confidence in yourself, that trust in yourself, I think it's the base of everything."
Willson Contreras thinks belief is everything for the new-look Red Sox
Willson Contreras thinks this Red Sox team is starting to believe in themselves 👀
— NESN (@NESN) April 12, 2026
"I think believing in yourself ... having that confidence is the base of everything."
🤝 presented by @WBMasonCo pic.twitter.com/EI2Wwi4N8W
After their Opening Day win against the Cincinnati Reds, the Red Sox's poor play showed in their attitude. Last season, when they were on, the Red Sox were an incredibly fun team to watch. Boston's aggression at the plate and on the base paths, with solid pitching to back it up, led to great energy and constant new celebrations. Red Sox players even brought their energy to the World Baseball Classic, pitching well and hitting the cover off the baseball on the international stage.
But seemingly as soon as the 2026 season started, the vibes changed and the crackling energy dissipated (subscription required). The Red Sox didn't look like they thought they could hit well enough to win games, so they didn't.
Against the Brewers and Cardinals, Boston got its groove back, and it came for almost everyone all at once. Red Sox pitchers have a 1.84 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP through the last five games. The bats responded with 16 runs in their two wins against the Cardinals: Contreras dominated his former team with six hits and six RBI, the severely-slumping Trevor Story racked up four hits and raised his batting average by over 50 points on April 12, Jarren Duran contributed three hits and four RBI in the Sox's two wins against the Cardinals, and Caleb Durbin even got in on the action with a hit, a walk and two RBI.
When the Red Sox didn't have to be in their heads about which side — pitchers or hitters — would carry the team, they both delivered. There is, of course, still room for improvement on both sides, as the Sox are still waiting for a Roman Anthony breakout, among other things, but belief has Boston well on its way to better baseball. "The power of friendship" Red Sox were powerful last year, and their recent series wins against the Brewers and Cardinals suggest they could be coming back this season.