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Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox Find Another Painful New Way to Lose in 2026

The team with no power can't even catch a break when they crush one
Jackson Roberts|
May 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) and catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) react after defeating the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
May 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) and catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) react after defeating the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

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Boston Red Sox

When your team is struggling to win in Major League Baseball, it sometimes seems as if the universe is conspiring to create new, painful ways to lose every night.

On Tuesday night, the Boston Red Sox lost a 2-1 nailbiter to the Philadelphia Phillies. Boston stranded the tying run in scoring position in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings.

Meanwhile, there was a Wilyer Abreu at-bat that simply went in the box score as a one-on, no-out flyout that stuck out like a sore thumb.

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Abreu's near-blast epitomizes Red Sox's misery

Wilyer Abreu
May 7, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu (52) runs out a single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Abreu crushed a sweeper from starter Zack Wheeler. The ball left the bat at 105.6 mph and traveled 374 feet. According to Baseball Savant, it was good enough to be a home run in 29 of the 30 MLB ballparks. At Fenway Park, where the Red Sox and Phillies were playing, it was caught by right fielder Adolis García just in front of the short bullpen fence.

And, as many on the internet pointed out quickly, the camera operator seemed to think the ball was going to land somewhere between Boylston, Mass., and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Abreu thought he had a game-tying shot, too.

“Me, and everybody thought that was out,” Abreu said, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive. “There’s nothing I can say about that. It was a really good hit and just didn’t go out.”

Obviously, the Red Sox had other chances. And on top of that, there are balls hit at Fenway nearly every game that produce different outcomes than other ballparks would have, benefitting hitters and pitchers alike.

Still, there are swings that just deserve good results, and Abreu's was one of them. If the weather had been 10 degrees warmer, or if the wind had been blowing out a little stronger, it would have been gone in all 30 ballparks. Instead, the Red Sox dropped to 17-24 and scored two runs or less for the 18th time.

The Red Sox can hardly blame bad luck for getting them to this point. But Tuesday night was sure a solid gut punch in a season full of pain.

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Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@moreviewsmedia.com

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