Red Sox's Latest Anti-Achievement Is Too Sad to Believe

The Boston Red Sox aren't just struggling to hit. They're inventing all-new methods of being shut down.

During a Tuesday night loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Fenway Park, the Red Sox got off to a very slow start. Or, more accurately, one of the fastest, most awful starts to a game an offense could ever imagine.

Zack Wheeler needed just 16 pitches to complete the first 3 innings tonight.

That's the fewest pitches thrown by a starter through the first 3 innings of a game since at least 2000! pic.twitter.com/3Z6rYuMhFs
— MLB (@MLB) May 13, 2026

According to the official Major League Baseball account on X, the Red Sox coaxed just 16 pitches out of Phillies ace Zack Wheeler in the first three innings of the ballgame. It was the fewest any pitcher had needed to get through three frames since at least 2000, and quite possibly a lot earlier.

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Red Sox's trend of non-competitive at-bats is concerning

May 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) hits a single against the Philadelphia Phillies in the seventh inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Wheeler, making just his fourth start back from shoulder surgery, wound up throwing 7 1/3 innings on the night on just 87 pitches and surrendered only one earned run. He's a great pitcher, having made three All-Star teams in years past, but that's not an acceptable excuse here.

Even more improbably, the Red Sox got on base twice out of the first nine batters that faced Wheeler. They were both promptly erased by double-play balls, allowing the ace to face the minimum and stay so efficient.

If the Red Sox were scoring in abundance this season, we could excuse such a low point as "just baseball." But this isn't just baseball at this point; it's the 2026 Red Sox's identity.

Boston scored just one run on Tuesday night, meaning it has now scored two runs or less in 18 of its 41 games. That almost makes the team's 17-24 record impressive, considering how frequently the offense fails to show up.

The Red Sox are also incredibly inept at generating offense in the first inning. Their eight runs scored and .495 OPS in the first are both the second-worst in the sport, ahead of only the San Diego Padres.

Take the stats away for a moment, and just watch some of the at-bats from this game. The quick outs, the bad chases (Ceddanne Rafaela striking out on a fastball at his eyes for the second out in the ninth stands out), and the utter lack of discipline or an approach.

Yes, the season is still young. But it's hard to believe in a turnaround when the offense looks as pitiful as any we've seen.

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