The Boston Red Sox have struck out 83 times in eight games so far in the 2026 season. They have also drawn 28 walks, but 12 of them have been combined by Willson Contreras and Masataka Yoshida.
On Saturday, the San Diego Padres pitching staff struck out eight Red Sox hitters. And for the third time, Alex Cora’s team lost by only one run. Four of the team’s six losses have been by two runs or fewer.
«We gotta swing less, to be honest with you», said Red Sox manager Alex Cora on Saturday after losing 3-2 to the Padres. «You know, get ‘em in the zone, not chase. Um, they have good arms, like everybody in the big leagues, right? But I think from, from our end, kinda like slow it down.»
Alex Cora frequently talks about pulling the ball in the air.
Before Saturday’s game, the Red Sox only had 20 extra-base hits. They were 17th in the league in slugging percentage.
And Wilyer Abreu had six of those 20 extra-base hits.
«Watching the game, I think the first five hitters for us, they were, we were upping the count two-all, right?», Cora added. «So just make sure, like, when you’re ahead, you get your pitch and hit, you know. And if it’s not there, take a walk.»
There is good news for the Red Sox, though.
Roman Anthony recorded two hits for the first time since Opening Day, and he has four hits in his last eight at-bats, including a home run and a triple. Wilyer Abreu has at least one hit in seven of his eight games, and Ceddanne Rafaela had his second multi-hit game on Saturday.
«There were some, some good at bats», Cora said. «I’m not saying all of them were bad, you know, but, uh, we have to make sure, you know, when we are ahead in the count, two-O, three-one, you should get a pitch that you can handle. If not, pass the baton. That’s, that’s the way you do it.»
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«Imean, usually you strike out you walk, usually homers, right?», Cora told the reporters on Saturday. «But if you’re not finding a way to get on base via the walk, then you have to slug, right? And right now we’re not doing that, so we just gotta keep working.»
Photo: @RedSox
