The Boston Red Sox began the 2025 campaign with bright expectations, hoping to be a genuine postseason contender this year. Their front office made some strong moves in the offseason with a crop of highly rated prospects coming up through the farm system.
However, the team has been one of the biggest disappointments in the major leagues over the opening couple of months. They have become an increasingly disjointed outfit on the field, while there is some obvious unrest within the organization.
Alex Cora Gets Honest on Red Sox Season After Losing Series to Angels
On Tuesday, the Red Sox went down 4-3 in extra innings to the Los Angeles Angels at Fenway Park to surrender the three-game series. They committed key errors on the field and wasted chances to take the win before the Angels capitalized in the 10th inning.
The visitors took the lead on a throwing error from Cedanne Rafaela before a two-run RBI from Nolan Schanuel put them up three. Jarren Duran opened the account for the home team before Kristian Campbell leveled matters with a two-run homer.
Neither team then gained an advantage until the top of the 10th, when Red Sox relief pitcher Zack Kelly made a fielding error on a sac bunt. It allowed the ghost runner for the Angels to advance to third base with no outs recorded in the inning.
Therefore, the Angels could score the go-ahead run despite Taylor Ward grounding out into a double play. The Red Sox batters were unable to respond to the challenge as Reid Detmers retired the side in order to pick up his first save of the season.
Alex Cora, the Red Sox manager, cut an exasperated figure during his post-game press conference after the defeat. He lamented the mistakes and squandered opportunities from his players.
“We missed the cut-off guy; they scored two. We hit their eighth hitter; we walked their ninth hitter. We couldn’t execute a bunt play, and we didn’t advance [the runners] when we needed to,” Cora said.
“So, you can talk about chances, but I can tell you about the chances that we gave the opposition,” he added. “I mean, we were lucky to be in that game at the end, to be honest with you.”
Cora sounded like a beaten man as he blamed himself for failing to improve the team after the underwhelming start to the season. He admitted the team seems to be regressing as the season has progressed.
“We keep making the same mistakes. We’re not getting better. At some point, it has to be on me. I’m the manager,” he said. “So, I’ve got to keep pushing them to be better. They’re not getting better. They’re not. We keep making the same mistakes.”
“You get frustrated, but at one point, it’s like, ‘What are we going to do?’ We keep doing the same thing,” he added. “Is it effort, preparation, or attention to detail? I have no idea right now.”
Alex Cora: “We’re not getting better. At one point, it has to be on me, right? I’m the manager, I gotta keep pushing them to be better.”
— Boston Strong (@BostonStrong_34) June 4, 2025
Cora sounded as though his time in the role is coming to a close. He was appointed as the Red Sox skipper in 2018 and won the World Series during his first year in charge. However, the team has failed to qualify for the postseason since 2021.
On the other hand, the Red Sox are currently going through their worst phase since the start of the season, going 2-8 over the last 10 games. They are currently in fourth place in the American League East with a 29-34 record.