The 2024 Boston Red Sox were carried by their offense for nearly five months. But when they needed it the most, with their playoff chances withering away, it disappeared.
In the past four days, the Red Sox have dropped five games, including a continuation of a game that started in late June. They scored an average of 2.2 runs in those games, with a maximum of four. And in the process, they've seen their playoff odds dip from over 40% to under 10%.
Many of Boston's key contributors have gone quiet at the worst possible time. Team OPS leader Rafael Devers hitting .192 in his last seven games. Rookie of the Year candidate Wilyer Abreu has gone hitless in four of his last seven. Even Jarren Duran had a recent 0-for-12 stretch before he caught fire again on Monday.
Just when the Red Sox needed their offense to kick into gear, it has sputtered. And manager Alex Cora seems to think the pressure of the moment has had something to do with the slump.
“It’s not happening right now, it’s been going on for a while here,” Cora said, per Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. “Most of them haven’t been in this situation before, every pitch matters, every at bat matters, we just have to make sure we slow it down.
Indeed, Boston's offense is one of the most inexperienced in the league. Devers is the only holdover from the last time the team made the playoffs, in 2021. Duran watched that postseason from the dugout, and most of the other contributors were either in the minor leagues or on other ballclubs.
And perhaps most frustratingly of all, the Red Sox's struggles have been mostly confined to Fenway Park. Now 29-37 at home on the season, riding a streak of eight straight home losses if you count the suspended game, Boston has been inexplicably unable to close the deal in front of the home crowd.
“I don’t know if it’s pressure or good pitching we just we’re better than this and we know that and right now we’re not going through a good stretch, we’ll turn it around," Cora said, per McCaffrey.
Time is running out to turn it around. Unless the Red Sox get red-hot, lightning-fast, they're going to be sitting on their couches watching the playoffs for a third October in a row.
