The Red Sox Are MLB’s Most Unexpected Story of 2026

There may not be a bigger shock right now in Major League Baseball right now than the Boston Red Sox.

Boston won 89 games in 2025 and went out and acquired a handful of guys this past offseason including Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras and Caleb Durbin, among others. Boston lost Alex Bregman, of course, but with a rotation as high-powered as Boston's on paper, this club should be better than 2-8. There are three All-Stars in the rotation with Suárez, Gray and Garrett Crochet plus a 26-year-old who had a 3.35 ERA in 2025 in Brayan Bello and an elite prospect in Connelly Early. He is the team's No. 3 prospect.

Even with all of that pitching, the additions of Contreras and Durbin, plus guys like Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Trevor Story, Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu, the club should be better. But the Red Sox have the worst record in baseball at 2-8. This is historically bad. USA Today's Bob Nightengale noted that this is the ninth time in the 126-year history of the team that it has started 2-8.

"For the ninth time in the 126-year history of the Boston Red Sox, they have started a season with a 2-8 record after the first ten games of the season," Nightengale wrote.

MLB Impact of Boston's Struggles

Apr 6, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

In 2025, the Red Sox were one of the six American League teams to make the playoffs after going 89-73 in the regular season. Boston was joined by the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Guardians and the Seattle Mariners. Right now, the Red Sox are far behind each of these teams in the American League, as well as a few surprise teams.

The Yankees have the best record in the league at 7-2. The Cleveland Guardians are good again at 6-5. The Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels are tied atop the AL West standings at 6-5. The Blue Jays are dealing with injuries all over the place and yet they have two more wins than Boston at 2-6. The Athletics even have more wins than Boston at 3-6.

There's plenty of season left, but the Red Sox are digging themselves a hole in the American League that is going to be difficult to come out of. The Tigers haven't gotten going yet at 4-6, but still are ahead of Boston. The Red Sox play in the most difficult division in the game and are two games behind fourth place already. These early-season struggles for Boston could certainly be overcome, but the Red Sox certainly are giving other teams an advantage in the American League right now.