The Boston Red Sox earned a spot in the American League playoffs last season, but based on their overall performance, they did not have a complete season. They were awful at the start of the season, and were so bad that manager Alex Cora was fired after just one month.
He was replaced by Triple-A manager Chad Tracy, who had been managing Boston's top minor league team at Worcester. Tracy appeared to be the dictionary definition of an interim manager. He was nice, polite, affable and knew many of the Red Sox players from their time in the minor leagues. He did not seem to have the presence of a Major League manager.
The Red Sox appeared to tread water for much of the next month but then started sliding. It appeared they were on their way to a fourth- or fifth-place season in the American League East. They bottomed out with a mark of 32-46 shortly before the midway point of the schedule when they lost 2 of 3 games to the lowly Colorado Rockies.
They returned home to face the New York Yankees and more losing was expected. Except the Red Sox season turned around that point. They would sweep the Yankees and go on a 32-5 run that allowed them to get back into playoff contention.
After the historic streak ended, the Red Sox played mediocre baseball to close the regular season. However, they were the best team in baseball during their hot streak.
Red Sox need solid bats for their lineup
The biggest problem the Red Sox faced all season was a lack of hitting. The Red Sox regularly got excellent results from their starting pitching even though ace Garrett Crochet had been missing from the roster for the final five months of the season. The Red Sox found a great 1-2 punch that included Sonny Gray and rookie Payton Tolle, and the return of Crochet and Ranger Suarez means the Red Sox should have four good starters in 2027.
But the hitting suffered. If Willson Contreras or Wilyer Abreu did not hit the ball out of the ball park, the Red Sox just did not generate enough power.
They received disappointing or injury-impacted seasons from a number of their key players, including shortstop Trevor Story and outfielder Jarren Duran
Story was signed by the Red Sox prior to the 2022 season, and he suffered through injuries and inconsistency in all but one of his five seasons in Boston. He is a free agent this season, and it seems unlikely that the Red Sox will attempt to keep him in the fold.
They are likely to go after another shortstop, and they may want to trade for or sign C.J. Abrams of the Washington Nationals. Abrams may not be a stellar fielder at the position, but he is coming off a sensational season at the plate.
Abrams had impressive numbers at the plate in 2026
Abrams is a two-time All-Star, and that included his spot on the 2026 National League All-Star team. He slashed .261/.336/.497 this season and he belted 33 home runs and drove in 106 runs for the Nationals. Abrams slashed 30 doubles and 4 triples and he also score 93 runs. He is clearly a free swinger and he did strike out 158 times, but he also reached base 57 times via a base on balls. Abrams showed off his speed with 34 stolen bases in 40 attempts.
There is little doubt that Abrams could provide dramatic improvement to the Red Sox lineup. Adding one offensive star who can reach the 30-30 mark could have a dramatic impact on the lineup. He could help support Contreras and Abreu, and it would make it very difficult to pitch around any of the dangerous hitters in the Boston lineup.
Red Sox may be saying good bye to Jarren Duran
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Jarren Duran has been a key contributor to the Boston Red Sox since the 2021 season. He became a regular in the lineup in 2023 as an outfielder with the Red Sox, and he became an All-Star the following year.
Duran had a remarkable showing that season with 48 doubles and 14 triples, leading the American League in both categories that season. He also lashed 21 home runs and drove in 75 runs while slashing a robust .285/.342/.492. He proved to be one of the best and most explosive base runners in the AL with 34 stolen bases. He also won the Most Valuable Player Award in the All-Star Game when he hit the game-winning home run off Hunter Greene of the Cincinnati Reds.
Duran has regressed since that brilliant season, and he fell apart in 2026. He slashed .207/.266/.361 with just 15 doubles and 5 triples. He did hit 20 home runs and drove in 69 runs, but his stolen bases fell to 20.
Duran turned 30 in September, so there's no reason he can't bounce back. However, he may be better off in another uniform because he was under extreme pressure in Boston, and his inclusion in a trade to Washington that would bring Abrams to Boston could be a possibility.