Amidst a cold and wet homestand, the Red Sox bats have also gone cold in the past two games after putting up an 18-spot on Sunday against the Cardinals.
The inability to score with runners in scoring position has cost Boston, as they've dropped three in a row against the Blue Jays to fall to 6-7 for the season.
On the pitching side of things, Richard Fitts and Garrett Crochet have given the Red Sox quality starts against Toronto, but the pesky Blue Jays have capitalized against the Boston bullpen.
Still, just 13 games into the season, the Red Sox have some of the hottest hitters in the sport, with Wilyer Abreu leading the majors in OPS, Alex Bregman not far behind the hits lead, and Kristian Campbell slashing .351 /457/.622 with two home runs in a spectacular start to his rookie campaign.
While these Red Sox have found success, others have not, and their jobs could be in jeopardy if they don't start performing.
With the Red Sox beginning to get key players off the injured list and into game action soon, and the influx of talent in the teams' minor league system, these struggling Red Sox have to turn it around sooner rather than later.
1. Triston Casas, First Basemen
The slow start for the Red Sox first baseman isn't anything out of the ordinary, as he holds a career .188/.299/.385 slash line during the months of March and April over his three full seasons in the league.
It has been proven that Casas is a better hitter once the weather warms up during the second half of the season, sporting a .268/.377/.516 slash line across 388 at-bats after the All-Star break. With that said, starting every season off slow is frustrating, especially when he's hitting in the clean-up spot.
Casas is usually absent from the lineup when the team faces a left-handed starter, but his start to the season makes it seem like he can't hit anybody right now. Boston platoons Casas with Romy Gonzalez, who has started this season on fire from the plate, going 7-15 (.467) with two RBIs.
So far this season, Casas has gone 7-39 with a home run and 13 strikeouts. His .179/.238/.308 slash line is not what you want from your four-hitter, no matter what time of the season it is.
Absolutely loved how aggressive Triston Casas was in this at-bat from the first pitch. pic.twitter.com/PUsuiERzvV
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) April 8, 2025
The Red Sox need to see better production from Casas, hitting in the sweet spot behind Bregman and in front of Abreu, two of the hottest hitters in the league.
Casas' early season struggles, paired with impressive play from counterpart Romy Gonzalez, could lead to the former's role diminishing as the season goes along. If Casas can turn it around heading into the summer months, he has proven to be a valuable power bat in the middle of the lineup in years past.
2. Connor Wong, Catcher
Like Casas, Connor Wong has some serious competition behind him at the catcher position. He was not doing himself any favors before he was placed on the 10-day injured list with a pinky finger fracture, either.
Through 9 games behind the plate, Wong has gone just 2-for-23 (.087) with seven strikeouts. This is a steep drop-off from his stellar beginning to last season, where he hit 6 home runs and 22 RBIs, slashing .260/.310/.409 throughout March and April of 2024.
With Wong on the shelf for some time, it opens even more of an opportunity for Carlos Narvaez, as he looks to contribute in Wong's absence.
In 6 games behind the dish, Narvaez has gone 6-20 (.300) with three doubles and 4 RBIs. The 26-year-old backstop spent last season with the Yankees, only appearing in 6 games, going 3-13 (.231) in his at-bats.
In December of 2024, Boston acquired Narvaez in a trade with the rival Yankees, and has been one of the Red Sox's unsung heroes so far this season. Time will tell if his production from the bottom of the order is sustainable, but he is forcing Alex Cora's hand when it comes to the catcher position.
The Red Sox also promoted catcher Blake Sabol to the active roster after the Wong injury news, as he should see some time at catcher as well.
When Wong comes back from the injured list, his play will be put under the microscope, knowing Cora seems more than happy with the play of Narvaez so far, as this quote from Sunday came before Wong's injury.
"He will play, probably twice a week. If he can keep producing, probably more. The at-bats are really good; I like the fact he can control the strike zone, he hits the ball forward, and he puts the ball in play. He uses the whole field."Alex Cora on Carlos Narvaez
In hopes Wong can find more success at the plate after his return, the Red Sox would have a respectable duo at catcher. If Wong can't find his footing and continues to struggle, fans can expect more Carlos Narvaez in the lineup on a day-to-day basis.
3. David Hamilton, Second Base/Shortstop
In a previous article before the season began, I pointed to Hamilton as being a last-minute favorite to start the season as the Red Sox second basemen after he impressed during Spring Training.
Instead, Manager Alex Cora rolled with Kristian Campbell even after his struggles down in Fort Myers. The decision has paid off tremendously thus far, and Boston locked in Campbell for an eight-year extension while he leads the AL Rookie of the Year race.
While Hamilton still sees his share of time between second base and shortstop as a utility man, his production has not been the best to start the year.
"Hammy", known for his blazing speed, is just 1-14 (.071) with five strikeouts to start the season. Hamilton has stolen two bases after stealing 33 last year, and can always provide Boston with a spark on the base paths.
The aforementioned Campbell has been playing in the outfield recently, as manager Cora wants to experiment with his ability alongside Duran and Abreu.
The Red Sox want to get David Hamilton more starts to keep him fresh — and they'll do so Wednesday with Ceddanne Rafaela sitting and Kristian Campbell in center.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 9, 2025
Lineups and more:https://t.co/rTW9Lct5XB
Boston's shortstop, Trevor Story, has picked up his hitting over the past few games, and the Red Sox will hope he stays healthy and can keep producing at the plate. If both remain true, he will stay the team's shortstop.
Marcelo Mayer should be called up in due time after his spectacular Spring Training performance. He is the Red Sox's No.3 prospect, and many thought he played well enough to make the Opening Day roster. Mayer's promotion would lead to another player in the infield and another for Hamilton to compete with.
While Hamilton could stay on the roster as a bench runner, there are just too many obstacles he would have to overcome in a crowded infield as the season goes along. If Hamilton can't start hitting, he won't be seeing any at-bats for Boston soon.