Three Predictions for the Second Half of the 2026 Red Sox Season
It’s hard to believe the Red Sox season is halfway over. Well, truthfully, it’s hard to believe the season is only halfway over. In their first 81 games, the Bostonians have crammed in a few years' worth of frustrations, blunders, and heartbreak. They landed at 35-46, though it felt a lot worse for much of the run. Just four months ago, the energy around the squad was cautiously optimistic. There were players due to exciting seasons and not insignificant playoff chances. Those predictions all feel quite laughable now, so let’s take what we have learned and better forecast the remaining months of baseball.
This will not be the worst season in team history
Hooray! Starting with the good always feels nice. Even if this seems like a low bar for good, baseball fans have a propensity for the dramatics, so correcting the most dire takes is necessary. The franchise saw its worst iteration in 1932, a 111-loss campaign. This year features legit young talent worth being excited about, starting pitching with the potential to dazzle, and an American League with other dreadful organizations. Somehow, though, if 2026 results in more losses than 1932, at least we have, like, color TV and pop music to ease the pain.
There will be little activity before the trade deadline, and it will fuel Craig Breslow’s exit
Time to get more practical. Inactivity is not the desired outcome; the nine-time World Series champions could greatly benefit from selling, or potentially buying, on the market. Teams are interested in All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman, with starter Sonny Gray and outfielder Jarren Duran also having history as marketable assets. Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow’s tenure, however, has not been defined by bold moves or decisive action. That fact, coupled with the tentative energy from virtually every front office source, suggests that disappointment could be on the horizon. In better news, that could be the final nail in the coffin for Breslow, who has been blamed more than anyone for the catastrophes in Massachusetts.
Wally the Green Monster will make his way into the starting lineup
This is even more practical than the last point. It’s incredibly practical. Wally, the massive, fluffy mascot that represents the team and Fenway Park, seems fed up. Beneath those cute big eyes and charming smile is a frustrated spirit. He has watched season after season from the sidelines, high-fiving children and rubbing his cartoonishly big belly, but maybe enough is enough. MLB.com has his official height listed as “pretty big”; sounds like the power bat the AL East bottom-dwellers have been missing this whole time. With the slew of injuries that have plagued his compatriots, Wally is sure to go wherever he is needed on the field. Maybe the greatest mistake the Red Sox made was crafting a roster composed of only humans and real beings. We got 81 games; we should expand our minds.
