Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Can The Red Sox Reach 90+ Wins In 2026?

(Getty Images)
Despite the 'Marvelous July Run' by your Carmine Hose, they are still on pace for 85 wins (4 shy of their 2025 total of 89 wins). 

Having said that, if the 'Tracy Turnaround' continues even close to the pace set since June 25th (24-2, .846 winning percentage), 90 wins or more should be a reachable goal. In fact, if they matched that pace (highly unlikely), they would finish the season 99-63. 

Will John Henry let Craig Breslow dip into his moth-eaten wallet to make another deal before next Monday's deadline? One would hope that the realistic playoff outlook (and the reduced "Sell The Team" chants that accompany it) would motivate the miserly NOG to get a third catcher or a major-league level shortstop. We shall see!

Friday, March 6, 2026

Red Sox SP Acquisitions Fail Key Test

There's been a lot of talk this off-season about how the Red Sox have bolstered their starting rotation—and, to a degree, that's true. But if we look at a key metric of starting pitchers (the differential of hits allowed in innings pitched), the new Boston starters are hardly in the "elite" category.

For perspective, let's take a look at this metric for some true elite starters (subtracting hits allowed from innings pitched): 

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (+60); Tarik Skubal (+54); Paul Skenes (+51); Garrett Crochet (+40)

Now, let's look at the new Sox starters:

Sonny Gray (-35); Ranger Suarez (+3); Johan Oviedo (+12). 

Obviously none of them are even to close to the elite level. One of the tasks of the off-season was—supposedly—to get a legitimate Number 2 starter to slot in behind Crochet. But, interestingly, using this metric, Brayan Bello (+19) outshines all the new guys. And, it remains to be seen whether Bello has achieved true Number 2 status.

The bottom line is that—beyond Crochet—the Red Sox still do not have an elite Number 2 starter for 2026.

Thursday, February 19, 2026

Red Sox 2026 Schedule


 

Are The '26 Red Sox Better, Or Treading Water?

On the eve of the first Red Sox exhibition game of 2026 (against my vaunted Northeastern University Huskies), it's appropriate to ask: are The Carmine Hose any better that the 2025 edition that (after a surprisingly good season) flamed out in the Wild Card round? 

Sox GM Craig Breslow did focus on the twin pillars of hardball success (pitching and defense)—but the offensive void caused by the losses of Rafael Devers (up until the trade) and Alex Bregman, was not really filled by off-season acquisitions. 

So, can an improved pitching rotation and defense win enough close, low-scoring games to be competitive in the even tougher AL East? We say the jury is still way out on that point. Let's take a look at the moves:

Starting Pitching: LHP Ranger Suarez, RHP Sonny Gray and RHP Johan Oviedo will clearly bolster the rotation—lining up behind ace Garret Crochet, Brayan Bello—and possibly kids Connelly Early and Payton Tolle in the wings. VERDICT: Clearly an upgrade over 2025.

Bullpen: A bullpen anchored by Aroldis Chapman at the end and Garrett Whitlock setting-up should perform at the same level as 2025 (which was pretty darned good). Justin Slaten and Greg Weissert should be decent again. And, either Tolle or Early getting thrown in would help. VERDICT: Same production as 2025.

Overall Outfield Defense: Not much to say here. With the cadre of Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu, the Sox probably have the best defensive OF in baseball VERDICT: Even more positive than we saw in 2025.

Overall Infield Defense: 1B Wilson Contreras, 3B/2B Caleb Durbin (2025 ROY finalist) and utility guy Isiah Kiner-Falefa add solid defensive prowess to the infield—which will also have the resurgent Trevor Story and a healthy Marcelo Mayer. And, how about the year Carlos Navarez had behind the plate—offensively and defensively! On another note, God knows where Triston Casas fits in! VERDICT: Clearly an upgrade over 2025.

Overall Offense: Pretty much everyone in Red Sox Nation expected Boston to acquire a right-handed thumper to pepper and/or clear the Monster on a regular basis. Well, except for possibly Contreras, that thumper ain't anywhere to be seen. Will we even have a 30-HR guy (maybe Anthony)? There's still time to make a move, but it's unlikely given John Henry's hesitancy to part with his fortune (except for foreign soccer teams). VERDICT: Likely downgrade from 2025.

The bottom line? Look for the 2026 Red Sox to marginally improve on their 89-win 2025 season, but not migrate to the elite of the AL East. Too little offense will hurt them in the end.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Strike Me Out To The Ballgame

As baseball sage Yogi Berra once said, "It's déjà vu all over again". Your 2025 Boston Red Sox are starting to look an awful lot like your 2024 Boston Red Sox. After their first 16 games, they are 7-9—most recently dropping a series to the abysmal Chicago White Sox—a team most normal squads get healthy on. 

The most troubling comparatives to 2024 are: strikeouts and errors—the two things Alex Cora hates more than watching Triston Casas sun himself on the outfield grass. In just 16 contests, Boston has struck out 158 times—that's an average of 9.875 times per game

And that "improved" defense—with Trevor Story and Alex Bregman anchoring down the left-side of the infield? So far, Boston has committed 19 errors—that's an average of 1.1875 errors per game.

If you're a betting person, go for the "over" on both Red Sox strikeouts and errors—you'll get rich.

Saturday, March 29, 2025

2025 Red Sox Schedule

 


Red Sox Are Again A .500 Team—With 160 To Go

After two games of the 2025 season, the Red Sox find themselves in a familiar place: .500. It begs the question: Is this team really as good as the hype around it? 

After all, despite wining on Opening Day, they struck out 12 times—reminiscent of the "WhiffFest of 2024". Moreover, starting pitching (the big overhaul of the off-season) has been, well, just OK. In Game Two, Tanner Houck was hardly the "ground-ball" pitcher he's supposed to be—giving up two long balls in the loss. And, Rafael Devers seems lost at the plate, struggling with his new DH role.

However, the bottom line is that this Red Sox team is much better than the 2024 edition, by almost every metric. They're younger, they're better defensively, they at least have a legitimate ace in Garrett Crochet, and the rest of the AL East is just about their equal (that is, mediocre). 

All things considered, though, this is still not a 95-win team. My guess is 86-88 wins, tops. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.

Thursday, April 25, 2024

FN Refreshed And Renewed For 2024

As we begin a new season with The Olde Towne Team, we felt it was important to re-energize FenwayNation.com—partly by going back to our roots. So, we've re-installed our old masthead logo (designed in 2000 by our co-founder Ric Glaub) and tightened up the overall format.

We hope to return to our daily missives on The Carmine Hose—without fear or favor from the NOG (inappropriately-named "New Ownership Group"). Stay tuned, we hope we will once again keep you informed and entertained covering Red Sox baseball.

-Ernie Paicopolos, Editor-In-Chief, FenwayNation

2024 Red Sox Schedule

 


Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Devers And Whitlock Gain Top FenwayNation Honors For 2021

FenwayNation announced their 2021 Red Sox Award Winners last night—tapping 3B Rafael Devers as "Player Of The Year" and RP Garrett Whitlock as "Rookie Of The Year".

Capping an All-Star season, the 24-year-old Devers clouted 38 home runs and knocked in 113, while hitting .279. He also collected 37 doubles and tallied 318 total bases. His 62 walks were the highest of his career. Mostly, he transformed himself from an exceptional young player into a superstar.

The 25-year-old Whitlock delivered a stellar 1.96 ERA in 73.1 innings for the 2021 Red Sox. Picked up last December in the Rule 5 Draft from the Yankees, Whitlock became the "go-to" bullpen arm for multiple-inning relief appearances. He faced 298 batters and struck out 81—walking just 17.

Congratulations to Rafael and Garrett!

Monday, May 3, 2021

FN International Editor: John Henry And The "Soccer Super League"

by Mark Lawrence, International Editor

Sydney, Australia—I've never given much thought to the game of soccer.  I've never given so much as a rat's narrow behind about it, to be honest.  But this latest brouhaha over in the Old Dart is relevant to any one who's ever handed their hard-earned to the ticket takers down on that street outside Fenway Park - I forget what they're calling it these days.          

The British soccer fan has been quite a bit het up lately.  Why?  Well, partly because of the pallid presence of John Henry, owner of a little outfit called the Fenway Sports Group.  FSG owns the Liverpool Football Club and - for those who don't know - Liverpool has a fan base whose passion rivals that of Red Sox Nation - and probably even exceeds it. The Club uses a song from the musical Carousel as its motto and its anthem - You'll Never Walk Alone - and they belt it out louder and stronger than poor old Sweet Caroline every chance they get.               

John and his pals somehow got the bright idea that they could futz with English Football - soccer, to you and me - and no one would much care.  They made the fatal assumption that soccer fans would docilely accept a European Super League comprised of the highest-priced teams and happily kick over even more dough at the turnstiles for the privilege.  The idea was simple: the best clubs would form their own competition within the game's existing structure.  But it goes a little deeper than that and the concern down here and elsewhere is that John and his fellow MLB owners might try and pull the same gag with Baseball.  As Nick O'Malley (Masslive.com) neatly puts it, imagine if the Yankees, the Dodgers, our own beloved Red Sox and 'other big-money teams joined a separate league with the top Korean and Japanese teams to start their own playoffs and World Series that they’d play for, in addition to normal Major League Baseball. Smaller market teams would get a chance to play, but the big-money teams would always have a seat in the playoffs.'               

Sounds pretty sleazy, doesn't it? I mean, wouldn't that make the Fall Classic essentially a bit of a joke? If a bonehead like your Downunder Correspondent can see it, surely the stock-ticker minds of Henry et al had to have seen it too?  Well, no, actually.  It looks like they didn't.  

One of the Super League cabal members, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, said they came up with the plan because young people are 'no longer interested in football' due to 'a lot of poor-quality games'.  

I found some interesting research from a fan-intel outfit called Ear to the Ground.  They're based over in the UK and while they're not exactly Polity Research, the data they gathered shows that Florentino doesn't have a firm handle on what those Real Madrid fans are feeling.  According to the Ear guys, almost 90% of soccer fans think Perez - and his super-rich pals - are simply full of it.  As one of the Ear guys put it: “It’s about knowing what your audiences care about, and the role you play for them,” (This is Owen Laverty, director of fan intelligence) “We know there are smart people working across all of these clubs, but it feels like these decisions about a breakaway league were made in boardrooms by individuals who were disconnected from the real world and potentially misunderstood the values of the people that this mattered to the most - the fans…"  Ear to the Ground is very likely making some serious scratch from simply identifying what's important to sports fans and acting accordingly.  And if John Henry hasn't already taken steps to go and do likewise, well - he might not be as smart as he thinks he is.  Owning a globally recognized sports franchise - like the Boston Red Sox - is not just having some awesome money-making machine, it's a deadly serious responsibility.  John Henry and the other super-rich MLB owners have a duty to the Game and an obligation to the Fans.  And you wanna know something? Up until this Super League debacle, I felt reasonably comfortable with Henry's stewardship of our club.              

Now, I'm not so sure. How about you?

Sunday, April 18, 2021

BOOK REVIEW: 'A Fastball For Freedom'

Review by Ernie Paicopolos:

Rarely does a sequel match or surpass the original. You can pretty much count the times on one hand: Godfather 2 (following the Godfather); Margaret Atwood's 'The Year Of The Flood' (following 'Oryx And Crake'); Jeopardy's Alex Trebek (following Art Fleming). By the way, I'm deliberately leaving out Buccaneer Tom Brady (following the Patriot version) because of where I live.

Anyway, author Gary Morgenstein has managed to pull off this rare feat. His new novel, "A Fastball For Freedom" is Book Two in the "Dark Depths" series of novels that began with the amazing, "A Mound Over Hell". Protector-of-all-things-baseball (and pretty good pitcher) Puppy Nedick is back—but the year 2098 is not a fun place for lovers of baseball (or freedom, for that matter). Puppy (and his ex-wife) are on the run from 'The Family'—the religious dictatorship that now runs America. He's been branded a traitor for trying to keep baseball alive.

What makes Morgenstein's books so compelling is the character portrayals—they're complex, but they're also identifiable as they weave their way through the treacherous, dystopian times in which they live. And I'm not just saying this because there's a new character in the mix named 'Ernie The Wizard' (well, maybe a little bit). And, as with the first novel, Morgenstein is not afraid to take on political correctness—and strike it out with a backdoor slider on the inside corner. How refreshing is that in our timid times? 

The bottom line is that if you love speculative fiction and you love baseball, this is a must-read. Can Puppy fight a new oppressive regime, save the planet from global conflict—and save baseball? You'll just have to read it. You can order the novel HERE.

Thursday, April 8, 2021

POLL: Do You Like The New (Yellow & Blue) Marathon-Themed Uniforms?

Do you like the new Red Sox Marathon-themed, yellow and blue uniforms?
 
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Reports Of Red Sox Demise Are Greatly Exaggerated

(Getty Images)
After dropping the initial three games of the 2021 season to the lowly Orioles, The Nation descended into panic mode (including—to some degree—your humble scribe). What was particularly concerning was that the so-called "strength" of the team (a prodigious offense) was missing in action against The Birds. On top of that, the AL Champion Rays were coming to town for the next three contests. Well, what do you know? The offense emerged (scoring 26 runs in the Rays series) and the pitching remained pretty decent. Now, your 2021 Carmine Hose are a .500 ball-club—having swept the denizens of the Trop. 

It just goes to show you that one of baseball's oldest chestnuts—'it's a marathon, not s sprint"—is as true today as it ever was. Speaking of which, the team announced a new Patriot's Day uni that honors the tradition of the Boston Marathon. It's unusual (to say the least) with yellow and blue colors. But, we like it. We'll be running a poll soon to see what our readers think.

Tuesday, March 16, 2021

LeBron James Buys Part Ownership Of The Red Sox (YAWN!)

He was already a part owner of John Henry's foreign soccer team. Now, LeBron James is also a part-owner of your Boston Red Sox. It's hard to get giddy over this news—you know, yet another non-Boston billionaire running our storied baseball franchise. A Laker—a damn Laker owns our team now? Red Auerbach is spinning. Why can't we get local ownership like Bob Kraft? Oh, yeah, I forgot, the Commissioner wired the deal for Henry way back when over a local bidder. So, give another yawn, as another miserable ball-club takes the field for 2021. Maybe LeBron needs a tax write-off.

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Exclusive Excerpts From New Novel—"A Fastball For Freedom"!

We here at FenwayNation are privileged to have access to excerpts from the soon-to-be-released new novel by Gary Morgenstein, "A Fastball For Freedom".—Book Two in the "Dark Depths" series of novels that began with the spectacular, "A Mound Over Hell". You can pre-order the novel HERE.

We will soon have a full review of the new novel, but here's a sneak peek at a few exclusive snippets dealing with Boston and Fenway Park:

Zelda walked quickly along Boylston Street toward the hammering humming. A BT tank was parked to the side as if unsure about being there; fans passed by quietly, bumping into her with muttered apolo- gies. More scarecrows hung on both sides of the street mutely proclaiming “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of a Fastball” and, at the corner of Yawkey Way, “All baseball fans are created equal.” 

The scarecrows were nothing compared to the light. 

It was as if the illumination were coming from underground, bathing the construction site like an up- side down volcano. Workers in red B baseball caps scurried up and down immense steel ladders, while others dug with shovels and picks into the frozen ground. Buckets of concrete flew by on wheelbarrows pushed by singing fans in Red Sox warm-up jackets; from somewhere, a medley of Mooshie’s songs played. Makeshift stands stood patiently amid stacks of paint cans. Zelda thought it was a viewing area, but she was the only one just watching. Everyone came to work at the only place in America, along with the site of the new Wrigley Field in Chicago, where the 10 p.m. curfew was lifted. 

“What’s going on?” Zelda asked an old woman in a floppy t-shirt. 

The woman sighed disapprovingly at such an idiotic question, gesturing at the huge, hand-lettered red sign atop a flag pole jammed defiantly into the ground: “Welcome to the New Fenway Park.” 

“Hopefully we can re-open next summer if everyone pitches in,” she said accusingly, heading off with a paint brush. 

A BT tank squatted at the north end of the construction site, bored soldiers sprawled on the front of the vehicle occasionally exchanging good-natured suggestions with passing workers about how best to build a ballpark. 

All around the site, the lights of Boston went out for the ten o’clock curfew, setting off a loud cheer of pride. For a moment, BT ’copter blades lost their stealth and glittered. Zelda hushed Diego, stirring noisily to tell the whole world he had gas, and edged toward a trench of concrete being poured into the ground. 

“What’s this?” Zelda asked a heavy-set man in a Yaz sweatshirt. 

“It’ll be the home plate side.” He pointed to some rickety chairs off to the right. “There’s a seat over there for you and the baby.” 

“Thanks, but if everyone else is helping, we can, too.”

Friday, July 31, 2020

Sox Show Signs Of Life With Two Straight Wins In Baghdad On Hudson

(AP Photo)
After dropping four if its first five 2020 games (due mostly to crappy pitching), the Red Sox rebounded with two impressive wins against the New York Metropolitans—in large part due to decent starting pitching. The other key factor in the wins was one Christian Vazquez, who has continued his torrid offensive display of 2019 into the new season. The Boston backstop homered three times in Flushing—and is rapidly becoming recognized as one of the best all-around catchers in all of baseball. Last night's 4-2 win saw new starter Martin Perez go an impressive 5.2 innings to get his first Boston win—giving up just two runs on two hits. He moved to greater use of his change-up in Thursday's win. Alex Verdugo and Michael Chavis (two hits apiece) also contributed to the Boston offense—but it was Vazquez who lead the way. The Red Sox now head to the Bronx for a three-game set against The Evil Ones.

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Red Sox Go Bird-Hunting On Opening Day, Pummel Baltimore, 13-2

(Getty Images)
As Eck so eloquently put it last night, "You have to take care of business" with egregiously crappy teams like the Baltimore Orioles. And the Red Sox did just that on Opening Day—destroying the avian visitors from the Chesapeake Bay, 13-2. This one got late early, as Yogi Berra might say. The Carmine Hose put up four runs in the third inning—highlighted by four doubles. Then, one inning later, they scored six more times. Despite 17 total hits, not one left the old yard. New Red Sox second-baseman Jose Peraza collected four hits in his Boston debut. Another newcomer, Kevin Pillar, made a stellar defensive play and notched three hits and three RBIs. J.D. Martinez also had three RBIs. Nathan Eovaldi was superb through six innings of work—giving up just one run on five hits and notching 100 MPH on the gun several times. All in all, a satisfying night at the empty ballpark.

Thursday, July 16, 2020

UPDATED POLL: Favorite Red Sox Positional Player (New Choices Added)

Which ONE of the following Red Sox positional players is your favorite?
 
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Wednesday, July 15, 2020

FenwayNation POLL: Favorite Red Sox Positional Player?

Of the following non-pitcher positional Red Sox players, who is your favorite?
 
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