When the season began, the Boston Red Sox were hoping that their pitching was going to carry them in 2026. However, while riding their pitching is something that they were hoping to do, their offense has been, well, not good.
Just how bad has it been for the Red Sox? They are averaging just 3.9 runs a game, which is the fewest in the American League, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. Boston has scored just two runs 27 times already this year. That’s not going to win many baseball games, no matter how well you’re pitching.
The Red Sox got that painful reminder on Monday night in a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Boston’s offensive struggles are widely known and after their latest loss, shortstop Marcelo Mayer had a blunt response to the offensive struggles.
Boston Red Sox Shortstop Marcelo Mayer Has Blunt Answer About Offensive Struggles
The struggles are up and down the lineup. Whether it was former manager Alex Cora or current interim manager Chad Tracy writing the lineup card each game, the offense is struggling. After a two-run loss to the Rays and scoring just one run, Mayer had a blunt response to his team’s struggles at the plate.
“We’ve got to win those games when the other team scores, three, four runs,” said Mayer.
He’s not wrong. However, it’s been an issue in 2026 for the Boston Red Sox. They only run they scored on Monday night? It was a solo home run from Mayer in the third inning to tie the game 1-1. Other than that, Boston managed just three more hits and struck out 10 times in what was a bullpen game for Tampa Bay.
“We didn’t hit much, obviously,” Tracy said. “We took some scattered good at-bats during the game, but just didn’t create a lot of opportunities for ourselves.”
That’s an understatement. It’s been a common theme all season long. It’s a reason by Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has been looking for a bat to add to his lineup. The more things don’t change, the more they stay the same.
Connelly Early Struggles Compound Offensive Struggles
The struggling offense puts more pressure on the pitching staff. That is what happened to young left-hander Connelly Early on Monday night. He allowed a home run to Rays lead-off batter Yandy Diaz. That was just the beginning to a night that was inconsistent.
Early lasted just 4.2 innings, scattering five hits, walking four and striking out six. He threw 96 pitches before being pulled in the fifth inning.
“Too many walks,” Early said. “Taken out before I get out through the fifth. So leave a lot of the game for the bullpen to clean up.”
Not only was it a lot of game for the bullpen to clean up, they too were faced with more pressure because of the struggling offense. Boston averaged nearly six runs a game in their previous sis games, which seems more like some hitters luck than consistency. Unless things turnaround with more consistently, it’s going to be more of the same for the 2026 Boston Red Sox offensively.
Boston Red Sox Infielder Drops Blunt Assessment After Loss to Rays