The Boston Red Sox got mollywhopped against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night, losing 9-0 and now being on the brink of elimination.
It's not technically over... but it pretty much is. Following the 2026 Red Sox was a big-time roller coaster for fans, with some unimaginable highs (nobody will ever forget their stretch in July) and some very, very low lows. And now, it's just about time for fans to get off and come back to the park next year.
Sure, it's fair to mention that Boston beat the Yankees in Game 1 of the Wild Card last year before ultimately losing the series, proving that losing the first game isn't an automatic end to the season. But it was already considered a long shot for the Red Sox to go into Yankee Stadium and win two games against their archrivals this time around anyway. And given how Game 1 went, there is definitely no reason to think they can conjure up two in a row and advance to the ALDS.
The Red Sox' offense is completely lifeless
The Red Sox have been terrible at the plate all month. In 24 games in September, they scored 71 runs (dead last by a mile - the Philadelphia Phillies had the second-fewest with 89 runs), and they recorded 172 hits (second-worst), 23 home runs (tied for fifth-worst), and a .219 batting average (worst in the majors), all according to MLB.com.
And that was no different on Tuesday night, when they were shut out, recorded just three hits, and struck out 11 times.
I'm not going to ignore the injuries they have had to deal with, because it obviously isn't helping. Mickey Gasper is out after tearing his bicep. Willson Contreras clearly isn't 100% from his hand injury. Ceddanne Rafaela was out for three weeks this month due to a quad strain and has gone 2-for-9 since. And now Roman Anthony is dealing with right-hand discomfort (the same hand that kept him out of action for almost four months) and is probably done for the season.
But even the guys who are healthy haven't been able to hit the ball. This offense peaked in July, and there is no reason to think they can turn things around right now. And that's especially unfortunate because it's going to be tough for Sonny Gray or Ranger Suarez to have a better outing than Payton Tolle did in Game 1 (allowed five hits, one earned run, and a walk; struck out four and threw just 83 pitches in 4.2 innings).
The 2026 Red Sox were fun, but the season is over
The Red Sox now need to win two games in a row on the road and against the Yankees to keep their season alive. They couldn't do it last year, and I have no reason to think they can do it this year.
This season has been a confusing one for Red Sox fans, but I think it will be remembered fondly (namely because of the incredible stretch in July and ultimately making the playoffs despite being 14 games under .500 at one point).
Unfortunately, it's coming to an end very soon, whether fans want it to or not. Because if it somehow doesn't happen on Wednesday night, it's surely going to happen on Thursday.
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