Last Friday evening, the Boston Red Sox marked a significant milestone, celebrating the 125th anniversary of their inaugural home game at the historic Huntington Avenue Grounds, dating back to May 8, 1901. To honor this momentous occasion, the team invited all living Red Sox alumni with retired numbers to participate by throwing the ceremonial first pitch.
Fenway Park, the beloved home of the Red Sox since 1912, holds the title of the oldest ballpark in major league baseball, predating Chicago’s Wrigley Field by two years. Over the years, the Red Sox have built an impressive legacy in their home whites, boasting a .567 winning percentage at Fenway prior to this season, which translates to the equivalent of a nearly 92-win season.
Despite this storied history, the Red Sox have struggled at Fenway this year, posting a 7-11 record. According to the Boston Globe, as of Friday morning, Boston ranked 26th in Major League Baseball for home batting average (.222) and home on-base percentage (.302). They also found themselves in 28th place for runs scored per game at home (3.1) and last in slugging percentage at home (.320). However, the team performs better on the road, hitting .247/.326/.378 with 20 home runs, which, while not stellar, shows improvement.
The challenges were anticipated as the Red Sox entered the season with concerns about power hitting in their lineup. After failing to re-sign third baseman Alex Bregman and missing out on first baseman Pete Alonso, who holds the New York Mets’ all-time home run record, Boston turned their focus to Trevor Story. They hoped Story could stay healthy and replicate his 25-home run performance from the previous season, a feat he has achieved six times in his career. Additionally, they acquired first baseman Willson Contreras, who had hit 20 home runs last season and surpassed that milestone six times in his first decade in the majors. Rookie sensation Roman Anthony, heralded by some as the next Ted Williams, also attracted considerable attention.
As the season progresses, the results have been mixed. Story has managed only two home runs, both on the road, while Contreras has hit eight, with three clearing the Green Monster. Unfortunately, Anthony is on the injured list with a wrist sprain, adding to the team’s woes, as he was batting just .229/.354/.321 with a single home run, also hit on the road.
The silver lining for the Red Sox is their relative standing compared to other teams. Since the “Year of the Pitcher” in 1968, 17 teams have posted lower home batting averages, with four during the shortened 2020 season. In terms of home runs, Boston’s recent performance propelled them ahead of the Texas Rangers, having hit their eighth and ninth home runs at Fenway, putting them on pace for approximately 41 home runs this season. For context, the 1979 Houston Astros hit 55 home runs while playing in the expansive Astrodome.
The good news for Boston is that a great many teams were actually worse. Since the “Year of the Pitcher” (1968), 17 teams have posted lower home batting averages, with four of those coming in the truncated 60-game Covid season in 2020. On the power front, with Friday night’s performance, the Red Sox leaped ahead of the Texas Rangers, hitting their eighth and ninth home home runs ay home, which puts Boston on pace for roughly 41 (Texas is on pace for about 35). By way of comparison, the 1979 Astros, playing in the cavernous Astrodome, hit 55.
The Sox did help their power cause on Friday night, scoring both of their runs via the long ball, with Wilyer Abreu (his sixth of the season) and Ceddanne Rafaela (#3) both leaving the yard for two of Boston’s four hits, representing their only runs of the night. But, from an overall hitting perspective, Friday night was another bust. As a team they went 4-for-29 (.138), with eight total baserunners over their eight times to the plate (.242 OBP).
Wilyer Abreu celebrates his solo home run during the third inning against the Rays on Friday night at Fenway Park. (Photo by China Wong/Getty Images)
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There is no doubt that as the weather in Boston heats up, so too will the bats. But then the question is will that be “too little, too late?” The Red Sox are tied for last place with the Orioles, nine games back of the Yankees (who swept them in late April leading to Alex Cora’s (and his coaching staff’s) firing. The Yankees, who look formidable, and will only get better when Gerrit Cole comes off the IL, Giancarlo Stanton comes back from injury, and Aaron Judge really heats up (although he may already have gotten hot: .316, 4 HRs, 11 runs scored in his last ten games). From a wild card perspective, hope springs eternal. The American League is so disappointing this season — just four teams with records above .500 — that the Red Sox find themselves only one game back of the wild card pack.
Boston has two more games against the Rays this weekend, a team that boasts the 5th best ERA in MLB, and is tied for the second best WHIP. And the two home runs they gave up to the Red Sox last night jumped their total for the season to eight, so don’t expect too many more balls flying out of Fenway Park Saturday or Sunday.
However, for the Red Sox to contend, they will have to make better use of their home cooking, play better, and most specifically, hit more when in their final 63 games in the Back Bay*.
*The Red Sox have won four World Series titles since 2004. Their home record in each of those seasons: 2004: 55-26 (.679); 2007: 50-31 (.617); 2013: 53-28 (.654); 2018: 57-24 (.704).
