Three Dreadful Facts About the 2019 Boston Red Sox

Fact: Team On Pace to Surrender Over 1000 Runs in 2019

In calculating a -42 rDiff for the Boston Red Sox, you not only take in to account the 119 Rs surrendered by the team’s pitching, but you also account for the 77 Rs scored by the offense. At just 77 Rs scored, that ranks the Red Sox offense 20th in MLB and 11th (out of 15) in the AL.

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I have a saying, which I like to believe is original, but who really knows. It goes: RUNS EQUALS WINS.

A team cannot win games if they struggle to score runs, and in 2019, the Red Sox are averaging 4 Rs per game. This also explains the atrocious 6-13 record.

One of the main culprits for the teams offensive woes, Mookie Betts is struggling this season. Through the team’s first 19 games, he already has 15 Ks. It took him 32 games to accomplish this last season.

Mookie has also only scored 13 of the teams 77 Rs while amassing just 14 Hits this season. By comparison, last season Betts scored 13 Rs and compiled 14 Hs within the team’s first 10 games.

It’s not all Betts’ fault, however. At a 0.5 fWAR, the Red Sox offense currently ranks 23rd in MLB. This is a result of an inability to get on-base (.300) and hit for power (.292 wOBA). In the end, the team struggles to create runs (80 wRC+), thereby losing more games than they can win.

In the end, nobody expected the 2019 Boston Red Sox to mimic the performance of the once-in-a-lifetime team that was the 2018 Red Sox. However, the fall from grace has been a far one in a short time-span, and the team may soon have to start wondering if they’re still good enough.