Red Sox lose 7th straight, 6-3 to the Blue Jays on June 28. Despite a Devers homer, Vladdy Jr.'s double sinks Boston. Is a shakeup coming for the Sox?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It's a frustratingly familiar story at Fenway Park. For the seventh consecutive game, the Boston Red Sox walked off the field with a loss, this time a 6-3 defeat at the hands of the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. The skid has pushed the Sox to 40-44, and the mid-summer optimism is fading fast with each passing day.
'At the end, pitching and defense are the pillars of baseball. You do that consistently, you're going to have a chance to win a lot of games.' - Alex Cora
Saturday's loss felt like a carbon copy of the previous six. Starter Lucas Giolito battled but couldn't contain the Blue Jays, surrendering four runs over five innings. The back-breaker was a three-run fifth inning, punctuated by a two-run double from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that silenced the Fenway faithful. While Rafael Devers provided a spark with a solo homer and Jarren Duran showcased his speed with two hits and a steal, it wasn't nearly enough. The bullpen, already overworked, coughed up two more runs, sealing the team's fate.
Manager Alex Cora didn't mince words after the game, pointing directly at the team's fundamental breakdowns. 'You pitch well, you’re throwing strikes, the defense is going to be better,' he stated, identifying pitching and defense as the 'pillars of baseball.' His comments reflect a team that's failing at the basics. Starters are failing to pitch deep into games, putting immense strain on a bullpen that is starting to crack. With no trades or significant roster moves announced, the solutions, for now, must come from within.
The most jarring part of this slump is the disconnect between the product on the field and the promise in the pipeline. Just this week, FanGraphs and NESN reaffirmed that Boston boasts the best farm system in baseball. Yet, that future feels distant. Top prospects Roman Anthony (.114 AVG) and Marcelo Mayer (.208 AVG) are experiencing significant growing pains at the major league level. While their talent is undeniable, their struggles highlight the difficult transition to the bigs and underscore the team's current offensive woes. The hope lies in the system's depth, with players like Blaze Jordan tearing it up in Triple-A, but fans are left wondering when that potential will translate into wins.
As the Red Sox stare down the barrel of a lost season, the pressure mounts. Can the starting pitching find its footing? Can the celebrated young core adjust to the majors and start producing? And with the trade deadline looming, how long will the front office stand pat while the team sinks in the standings? One thing is certain: a #1 farm system doesn't win games in 2025. Something needs to change, and it needs to change now.
