Editor’s Note: All my graphics going forward will come directly from my new website, Stat Soldier. Go check it out by clicking here.
Overall Takeaway
No series review last series as it was Easter and there was only so many times I could hide in the bathroom at my in-laws house. It’s a house. It was a really depressing review anyway, so I much prefer posting today.
I like to think I am relatively positive on X. I am not posting saying this is the worst team in history and calling for John Henry to sell the team. Whether you like him or not, Dave Portnoy brings eyeballs to whatever he is talking about. It seems like, for the first time in years, he is finally watching the Red Sox again. It is still very early, so we will see how long he actually sticks with it.
Coming out of this series, I feel good about the top of the rotation, I feel good about the bullpen (Weissert excluded), and I feel good about two hitters in the lineup. This is a huge upgrade over last week. Step by step, baby.
Game 1: Brewers 8-6
Game 2: Red Sox 3-2
Game 3: Red Sox 5-0
What I Loved
Willson Contreras
I loved the fire from Contreras on Monday. How much of it was his genuine disdain for the Brewers compared to trying to motivate the team, I do not know. Regardless, along with Story and Abreu, Contreras led the team to this series victory. His .850 OPS is second on the team, behind only Abreu.
Trevor Story
Story got knocked down to 5th in the order, and he responded with his best baseball yet. He knocked in 6 runs the last three days and played solid defense (don’t watch his and Mayer’s non-double play)
There were a lot of calls for Story to move off SS and let Mayer develop there. I called for this last year and was crucified for it. I think at this point, you need to see a little more from Mayer before making that move. Of course, Story needs to be open to it as well.
Wilyer Abreu
Wilyer is the best player on the team right now, and it is not particularly close (maybe Crochet). He got off to a hot start like this last year, and if it wasn’t for his injury, who knows what his final numbers could have been. We are seeing that same hot start in 2026, so let’s pray he stays healthy.
Sonny Gray
Sonny Gray broke his pattern from last season and now has two good starts in a row. Over six innings for the second start in a row, this time giving up zero runs. He is never going to strike out a lot of guys, but he is going to eat a bunch of innings.
Garrett Crochet
You know, I look at the graphic below, and while Crochet is not pitching at Cy Young levels right now, there is nothing sweeter than having a stopgap in the rotation. Tuesday’s game felt like a must-win for Boston. The panic and hysteria were beginning to settle in, and if Crochet faltered, the protesters were ready to storm the gate. Yeah, I walked away from the TV for five minutes, and he loaded up the bases, but the team won, so who cares?
What I Was ‘Mid’ About
Most Of the Team?
Doesn’t feel like there is a middle ground with this team right now. You have three hitters carrying the series, and everyone else is kind of there. I don’t want to put Roman Anthony/Ceddanne Rafaela/Caleb Durbin/Marcelo Mayer in Didn’t Love right now. So, just imagine them all right here.
What I Didn’t Love
Red Sox and ABS
Wilyer’s call was terrible on Tuesday night, and the Red Sox as a whole have not been great. Going into the series, they've been getting about 50% of their challenges right. Needs to improve.
Sitting Jarren Duran
Outside of Jarren Duran’s suspension, I can not remember when he is actually on the bench. Yet, twice this series, he sat on the bench. Boston won the series, so there's not much to say about it, but it bothers me.
Terrible Fans
I know we all live in the moment, but some of the biggest Red Sox voices on X are just adding flames to this fire for clicks. Won’t be me.
Who Got Screwed
Roman Anthony
Editor’s Note: I didn’t do a series review on Sunday because of Easter. The Anthony piece below is from the previous series, but I still feel it applies.
Last year, Alex Cora was ready to lock Masataka Yoshida away and throw away the key. Even when he got hot, he pulled him from the lineup. Classic case of tinkering too much. Now Cora “doesn’t like” what he is seeing with Roman Anthony in left field and has opted to play Masataka in left field on Sunday. Now, let me be clear, I have no problem with having Yoshida in the lineup, and he played great Sunday, so this isn’t about him. This is directed at Cora, once again tinkering too much with a young player. We saw this last year with Kristian Campbell, and I fear that we are seeing it right now with Roman Anthony.