Overall Takeaway
Hello there, it has been a while since I put out one of my Red Sox blogs. I made that choice about a month ago because of some online discourse I will not dive too deep into. In short, I took a few series reviews off after some toxic messages came in from some Red Sox Twitter trolls. I did a little investigating, and it seems a larger personality was directing these people toward me.
I planned to return to the reviews, but after taking three off, it felt disingenuous just to jump back in. Next season, I will be back to writing my reviews for every series. If these people do come back, I think I have ample evidence to show that a very soft Twitter personality is giving them direction, and I will not have any issue addressing that.
Back to baseball.
This season was fun. At the end of each regular season, I revisit all my series reviews to relive the highs and lows. This season was very different from 2025. The 2025 season was pretty even-keeled compared to 2026. The team was solid all year and made the playoffs by a few games, just like this season.
The 2026 Red Sox, however, decided to make this the most intense roller coaster you have ever been on. From firing Alex Cora to a historic win streak that propelled them into a playoff spot, to a lackluster finish that saw half the team get hurt.
I have no idea how to feel going into the Yankees' Wild Card series, but this blog isn’t about that. Let’s reflect on the last six months first.
What I Loved
Chad Tracy
My feelings have been pretty clear about the previous administration that was running the dugout. So, let’s focus on the positives. I love how calm and even-keeled Chad Tracy is. There are no antics, there are no blow-ups, and nothing is about him; it is all about the team. He doesn’t tinker too much with positions. He plays small ball (bunt king). But most of all, he seems to bring a calming presence to the clubhouse. He trusts his guys, gives them the appropriate amount of rope, and knows when he is needed.
Aroldis Chapman
Despite his age, Aroldis still struck out over 12 batters per 9 innings. It wasn’t as dominant as his 2025, but no one is going to complain about 35 saves and a 1.92 ERA.
Garrett Whitlock
If you go back to some of my earliest Red Sox blogs, you will see me fantasizing about Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck being the back end of the Boston bullpen. Everything about it just made sense. Then they decided to ruin his career by forcing him to start. He threw 52.1 innings this season, which is only about 20 less than his career high as a starter. He was the perfect bridge to Chapman and finished the season with a 1.72 ERA. We now have two straight years of him being a VERY good late reliever. Let’s keep it this way.
Willson Contreras
The heart of the team all season. Even when the team was in the gutter, he was ready to light a fire under everyone at any moment. My favorite part of this year is Contreras trying to fight everyone on the opposing team at once. Statistically, he had the best season of his career, whichh is crazy to think about.
Craig Breslow
Craig made the, at the time, incredibly unpopular decision to fire Alex Cora after a 10-17 start. Immediately, fans called for his head. Not me. I have been a Craig Breslow defender for years now and personally loved that he had the guts to make this move. By aggressively reshaping the coaching staff and handing the keys to Tracy, the entire season turned around.
Ceddanne Rafaela
Flip a coin for PCA or Rafaela as the best defensive CF in the game. PCA tops in OAA, Rafaela in DRS. Overall, PCA had one of the greatest seasons we have seen, well, ever. Ceddanne, on the other hand, had HIS greatest season. Finally putting it together consistently on offense took him from a below-average hitter with a great glove to an above-average hitter with a great glove. We will take it.
ROTATION
TTheir 15-game win streak saved the Red Sox season That win streak came from the starting rotation going absolutely nuclear. They all continued to have great seasons (some bumps with Suarez and Bennett) which is why I have some semblance of confidence going into this Wild Card Series.
What I Was ‘Mid’ About
Roman Anthony and Trevor Story
I have to put Anthony and Story here strictly because of all the time they missed. Anthony has been playing great to end the regular season, Story not as much. Going into next season, one has to think the Trevor Story experiment is over.
All Of The Trades
Again, I am a Craig Breslow defender, so I will not make a final determination on these trades right now. Frankly, it is way too early to even try and do so. If Adley Rutschman goes 0-13 this series and doesn’t get an extension this winter, then yeah I probably start to worry a little about the deal.
With the Marcelo Mayer deal, I will probably never be upset because he just doesn’t seem to want to work hard. But who knows!
Brayan Bello
Last season, Bello was at the top of my loved page. I was ready for him to be the 1-B to Garrett Crochet. Obviously, that did not happen.
What I Didn’t Love
All The Injuries
This team got banged up. Roman Anthony, Trevor Story, Garrett Crochet, Curis Mead, Masataka Yoshida, and IKF all spent siginficant time on the IL. Not to mention Contreras, Rafaela, Sogard, Slaten, Siegler, Whitlock, and many others who missed time at different points of the year.
Part of the game.
Jarren Duran
Personally, I think I have hit my tolerance point for the Duran show. He had a 20-20 season, which is cool I suppose, but it was a roller coaster the entire way. I think I am probably very old school in my mindset that if you are arguably the player on the team struggling the most, you should probably not be a distraction.
So, giving middle fingers, yelling at fans, throwing tantrums in the dugout, it just gets old.
In no way do I agree with fans chirping players the way they do, but it happens players across the league every day. This is now three straight years that Duran has gotten into it with fans.
Lack of Offense
The biggest concern going into the Wild Card round, has been the biggest concern all year, offense.
They are a middle of the road offense and have been all year. If Contreras is healthy, and Roman is on a heater, then they have a chance.
Good analysis. Two things, if I may….i don’t know what transpired previously, but please ignore the arm chair warrior trolls. As for Tracy, the situation and timing is different, but I think Andy Green is a parallel, a calming influence to the Mets that will bear fruit next year.