Unsurprisingly, the early numbers for the Red Sox tell a very ugly story.
As Shakespeare might have written: how do thee suck? Let us count the ways.
Well, for starters, the early-season questions about Boston’s questionable lineup and offense have already exploded into full-blown crises, thanks in large part to a familiar problem: the strikeout. The Red Sox just struck out 38 times while being swept in a three-game series against the Astros – and they whiffed with impressive consistency: 12, 13 and 13 times. In their current five-game losing streak, the Red Sox have struck out 60 times.
After one week of the 2026 season, here are some of the club’s offensive rankings in MLB:
Offense
HOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 30: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox looks on after striking out during the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on March 30, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Strikeouts: 67 (6th most)
Batting average: .208 (22nd)
Pitching
Of course, after losing Alex Bregman in free agency and then placing the blame on the player, the Red Sox claimed that their path to success this season would come from the familiar “run prevention,” the philosophy resulting from the signing of Ranger Suarez in the wake of the Bregman debacle. While Suarez allowed four runs, seven hits and two home runs in 4.1 innings of his Red Sox debut – a loss, of course – he was hardly the only Boston pitcher to serve as a punching bag. Boston’s (overhyped?) pitching staff posted a 4.91 ERA that currently ranks 26th in baseball, though that is obviously just part of the story.
HOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 30: Ranger Suárez #55 of the Boston Red Sox looks on during the first inning of the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on March 30, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Starters’ ERA: 5.22 (26th)
Opposing avg.: .260 (25th)
Runs allowed: 32 (6th most)
HR allowed: 11 (2nd most)
Hits allowed: 53 (6th most)
Relievers’ ERA: 4.50 (20th)
Defense
Finally, of course, no assessment of “run prevention” – or is it win prevention? – can exist without some assessment of the defense, which has also been putrid. In an age when MLB official scorers have been instructed to award hits (instead of errors) whenever possible so as to increase offensive statistics, the Red Sox hve thus far handled the baseball as if it were a live grenade. Remember that Boston entered this season having committed the most errors in baseball over the last seven seasons (659), a period that covers the team’s entire history since its last World Series championship in 2018.
HOUSTON, TEXAS – APRIL 01: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox attempts to catch a ball hit by Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros during the third inning at Daikin Park on April 01, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Fielding pct.: .972 (25th)
Defensive runs saved: 2 (12th)
Defensive runs above average: 0.9 (11th)
The good news? The Sox are off today after playing their first six games on the road. They will play tomorrow against the San Diego Padres in their season opener at Fenway Park, where they are likely to be received by an already agitated fanbase.
Tony Massarotti is the co-host of the number 1 afternoon-drive show, Felger & Mazz, on 98.5 The Sports Hub. He is a lifelong Bostonian who has been covering sports in Boston for the last 20 years. Tony worked for the Boston Herald from 1989-2008. He has been twice voted by his peers as the Massachusetts sportswriter of the year (2000, 2008) and has authored five books, including the New York times best-selling memoirs of David Ortiz, entitled “Big Papi.” A graduate of Waltham High School and Tufts University, he lives in the Boston area with his wife, Natalie, and their two sons. Tony is also the host of The Baseball Hour, which airs Monday to Friday 6pm-7pm right before most Red Sox games from April through October. The Baseball Hour offers a full inside look at the Boston Red Sox, the AL East, and all top stories from around the MLB (Major League Baseball).