"Exactly What I Hoped For": Chad Tracy And The Red Sox Hit Their Latest Rock Bottom In A 2026 Season Full Of Them
This. This right here was rock bottom. At least for me.
The Red Sox were swept at home by the Blue Jays this week, and I promise, I'll get to all the embarrassing milestones that are attached to those three losses. But this right here deserves a moment.
Chad Tracy is the team's interim manager. For a few games, it felt like the Chad Sox might be just what the team needed. That maybe, just maybe, Alex Cora was the problem and that Tracy could unlock this team.
Giphy Images.Tracy, who looks and sounds like Craig Breslow, has been underwhelming at best. With the loss Thursday, the Red Sox are now 19-26, seven games under .500. They were 10-17, again seven games under .500, when they fired Cora. They have been just as bad under the new guy.
But this Mickey Gaspar quote…what the fuck?
Mickey Gaspar is a journeyman, at best. At 30 years old, he's played just 86 games in the Major Leagues, with a .188 career batting average. And look, shoutout to Gasper, the pride of Merrimack, NH. He made it. But this is less about him and more about Tracy and the Red Sox.
So the team's offense is terrible- the second-fewest runs in all of baseball- so they've tried Gasper at leadoff, which is insane. But hey, let's get the offense going, I get it. Tracy said before Wednesday's game that he liked what he's seen from Gasper in that spot.
What do the numbers say?
They say Gasper is 3-for-13 (.182) when he bats leadoff. That comes with a .308 on-base (two walks) and a dreadful .508 OPS.
I hated this quote. Small sample size, sure….but how can you say you like what you're getting from him there??? Either Tracy has no idea how bad the numbers are, and he's just talking out of his behind. Or he and the team really don't care at this point and are just trying to get through 2026 and onto the eventual 2027 rebuild.
"It's only been a couple of days, but it's exactly what I hoped for."
Giphy Images.You were hoping for now power and a .300 on-base???
The quote just sort of sums up the season. That a player like Gasper is playing so much, and batting leadoff, is an indictment of the roster that Craig Breslow built. And the guy they tabbed to replace the fired Cora is trying to put lipstick on the pig that is the whole situation.
Hate it. I hate all of it. I hate this team. Rock bottom.
Advertisement
I promised the gory numbers. Look away if you're squeamish.
Season-worst 14 games under .500.
Now 15.5 back in the AL East.
Now 6.5 back in the Wild Card.
Their 29 wins are the fewest in the American League.
Those 29 wins are the second-fewest in all of baseball, better than only the Rockies.
Second-fewest runs in all of baseball.
Now 0-32 when trailing by 3+ runs
Now 1-40 (ONE AND FUCKING FORTY) when trailing by 2+ runs
Trevor Story, who was bad and then got hurt, is now talking to the media about how bad the team; yah, no shit, Trev.
Again, we know this, Sonny. Glad the players are realizing what fans have known for a while.
Series Stock Watch:
📈 Stock Up: IKF. Best hitter over the last month. I can't believe I just typed that. Try him at leadoff.
📈 Stock Up: Scottish and Norwegian soccer fans. Carried the crowd for the week.
📉 Stock Down: Everyone else.
Advertisement
That includes John Henry and team ownership, who seem content to just let Craig Breslow run the trade deadline. #SellTheTeam.
Breslow should be fired - just look at this team.
Why is he still here?
What are they waiting for?
Is there a chance they think he's actually the right guy for the rebuild?
If not, why not just fire him now?
It was once again a Breslow Bonanza on Dirty Water - A Boston Sports Podcast. Really just four guys sitting around trying to explain why he's still here. And constantly checking X.com for an update that he's been fired. Ed, Kutter, Hog, and I, so we had a full roster to break it all down
⚾ Swept away by the .500 Blue Jays
⚾ But seriously, why is Breslow still here
⚾ Soccer fans carry the Fenway crowd
⚾ Bad IQ baseball team
⚾ Ed Hand has checked out
⚾ Kutter hates this team
⚾ Hog is talking anything BUT baseball on the streams
⚾ Mut is just angry
⚾ IKF and Dubin moment in the 8th
⚾ Wong and Durbin blow it in the 9th
⚾ Do Bres and Andre Bailey sit next to each other on the plane?
⚾ Are they really NOT going to fire Breslow?
⚾ The bottom of the order stinks
⚾ We don't need to hear from Trevor Story
⚾ Who should they trade?
⚾ Will Roman Anthony ever come back?
And so much more. Some laughs, yes, but vibes remain low.
Go watch and subscribe on YouTube. Then go listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.