What are the Expectations for the Red Sox in 2026? // Marcelo Mayer Makes Opening Day Lineup // Payton Tolle Sent to Worcester, Connelly Early Makes Red Sox - 3/24 (Hour 1)

The Bleacher Report app is your destination for sports.

Right now, the NBA is heating up, March Manus is here, and MLB is almost back.

Every day there's a new headline, a new highlight, a new moment you've got to see for yourself.

That's why I stay locked in with the Bleacher Report app.

For me, it's about staying connected to my sports.

I could follow the teams I care about, get real-time scores, breaking news, and highlights

all in one place.

Dallow the Bleacher Report app today, so you never miss a moment.

We got a big good defense, and we'll see how the bullpen pans out, feel free confidence

where we are, and we just got to get to Cincinnati and get going.

I felt right again today, Matt is still here in between the Twin Towers.

If yours truly, Jim Murray, Matt McCarthy, hello, McTayke.

It's going on, guys.

Hey, Ben, good to see you.

Good to see you.

That was Red Sox Manager Alex Cora, giving his assessment on his team as your Boston Red Sox

prepared to break camp down at spring training.

Begin their season this Thursday in Cincinnati against the Reds, feels good about them.

Got a couple of baseball boys here today.

How about you?

Are you feeling good about the Red Sox, and their chances to compete, maybe go on a deep

postseason run in 2026?

Matt, I'll start with you.

Okay, so Murray, can I just say this first, that this day today used to be one of my favorite

days of the spring, and let me explain that after spending six to eight weeks,

and the hell hole that is spring training, and I'm not dumping on Fort Myers in particular,

I'm just dumping on the monotony that is spring training.

So it's nice to get in the warm weather.

It's nice to get on south, but by the end of spring training, you know what you're saying?

Get me the hell out of here, because I'm ready to see real games, and I'm ready to see real

competition, and I'm going to start living my life again like a normal person instead of some

snow bird. So today is moving dead.

I used to equate it to like the, you know, the days in college where you would pack up and move

out of your dorm for the summer or whatever. It's the same thing in spring training.

It's the same thing at the end of the baseball season.

All the craps packed up, everybody's ready to go.

They mail it in this finale in spring training.

They get out of dodge, and now they're ready to play for real.

So to me, that's when I start feeling the real anticipation of a baseball season,

and I will tell you, I said this last week, and I wasn't BSing you.

After watching the World Baseball Classic, I think they could be pretty good.

I do.

Well, because some of the Red Sox players in that tournament represented well.

It wasn't just Roman Anthony.

Willie Rebrae, who was awesome for Team Venezuela.

You know, there were some Red Sox players that stood out in that thing.

So yeah, now you should feel good about them just based on that alone.

Well, and here is the problem, that the way it works in sports,

we always focus on the thing that happened most recently,

and we say, can you take the next step?

And so we judge you on the last thing that we saw.

And when you have young teams or younger teams, it's a hard thing to do,

because now you're projecting.

So none of us are going to believe it until we see it.

But if you're asking me today based on what I saw in spring training,

is Roman Anthony going to be exactly what he was in the middle of the season,

when we saw him at his peak?

Yup, he might even be even better.

He's improved.

Is Willier Breu, a better player than he was a year ago?

Yup, and he's in better shape.

So now, can he stay on the field?

I don't know, but do I think Willier Breu is better?

Yes.

Do I think Jaron Duran could play more like he did in 2024 than in 2025?

Yup, I do, based on what I saw in spring training.

Now, are they short of right handed bat?

Probably.

But if Duran, Anthony, and Abreu all play like they did during the World Baseball Classic,

the Red Sox will be in the playoffs and there'll be a threat to win the World Series.

I believe that.

So I am believe it or not.

I know this is unusual.

I am optimistic.

I feel pretty good about them, which is more than I can say for the manager,

which we'll get to momentarily.

Matt, before you give your answer, because I don't know if you actually paid it off,

Matt, as you said, you used to love this day.

And that was what?

Because you were down there day in, day out covering the team down at spring training.

Now, you just don't feel, is it because you're not there?

You don't feel the same way about it?

No, no.

I mean, I suppose I still do love this day.

I'm just not stuck in Ford Myers Hall, you know, for six weeks.

So, but when you get to the end of camp,

the anticipation is palpable.

Yes.

And it's like, you're out of jail.

Let's go.

So I think everybody's ready to start.

You know, from what I heard earlier in the weekend,

I don't know if the forecast is great on Thursday and Cincinnati.

So we'll see how that shakes out, not to rain on the parade.

But I actually, at the moment, I feel better about them than I did at the beginning.

You can't.

That's what I'm getting at.

Matt, on Sunday, I heard you in with Kendra Middleton.

And we'll get to your Dodgers take later too,

because I agree with you on that.

And that, you know, a villain is good for baseball,

a villain is good for sports.

But outside of the Dodgers, you said you would take the field.

There's maybe five or six teams outside of the Dodgers

that can maybe win the World Series,

are the Boston Red Sox, one of those teams.

Yes.

And for the reasons that Matt has just laid out,

I mean, the question with this team right now

is their lineup, you know, what are you going to get?

There is potential in this lineup,

but a lot of that is unfulfilled

or has been up and down and uneven.

Like Williard Brayou, who's struggled to stay healthy,

like Jared Ran, who has had an up and down big league career.

And Roman Anthony, you know, has the ability

to be an MVP quality player pretty much right out of the jump.

So those are big asks,

but based on what I saw in the World Baseball Classic,

I feel better about this Red Sox lineup

than I have really at any point throughout the off season.

And couple that with the pitching staff

that I truly do believe on paper is one of the best in baseball.

This team has the opportunity to be really quite good.

Are there problems? Are there concerns?

Yes, I've got concerns about their infield.

I've got concerns about middle infield depth.

I've got concerns about key guys staying healthy

who have really struggled to stay healthy,

like Marcelo Meyer, like Trevor Story.

But as we sit here, you know, 48 hours to go

until opening day, this thing's there for the taking for the Red Sox.

I mean, after the Dodgers, everything's pretty much wide open

in baseball and baseball is a sport where I will always take the field

over the number one team.

It's just the nature of the sport.

Like, there is no reason why the Red Sox cannot contend for

and win the pennant and be a legitimate World Series contender.

Because I look around the nature,

I look around the landscape of the American League,

and there are a lot of teams that could be good,

but there are a lot of questions with every single one of them.

The Red Sox entered this year with just as much potential

as the Yankees, the Mariners, the Blue Jays,

and just as many questions as the Yankees, the Mariners, and the Blue Jays.

They are absolutely in the discussion,

and we should talk about them in that context.

They have a chance to be really good.

My expectations are high for this season.

It shouldn't be anything less than it was last year.

It should be better than it was last year.

They still should be building on something.

They undeniably should contend for the pennant.

How about an intangible, you know,

because I'm with you on all these things.

There could be, you know, questions about the infield,

whether or not they're going to miss that,

not having that extra right-handed bat.

What about the pressure on Roman Anthony?

Is he built for it?

Look, he had an outside of that strike-out

to end the championship game against Venezuela.

I think he had a very good world baseball classic

and that's encouraging.

But young guy, now whether he wants it or not,

I think he's going to be the face of the franchise.

Is he ready for that moment?

I think that's a fair question to ask in 2026.

Go ahead, Matt.

Yes.

And by the way, it's crazy to expect this much of Roman Anthony

and it's crazy of the organization

to expect this much of a 21, 22-year-old kid.

But no, he's that good.

Like, I mean, it's for anybody else.

Like I will tell you, we should be, you know,

concerned about Marcelo Meyer.

We should be concerned about Christian Campbell.

Anthony's just a different beast, man.

He's that good.

He's that special.

Like he's closer to Juan Soto than he is to Marcelo Meyer

or any other top prospect, top quality prospect in baseball.

He is that good and that special.

It's crazy to ask this of him,

but he's probably capable of delivering.

And before you answer, Matt, as I've heard you say this line,

and I agree with you wholeheartedly, Matt,

in that let's not use the term big three with ever, ever again.

Roman Anthony, Marcelo Meyer, and Christian Campbell ever again.

He's so much better than those two.

He is.

And Meyer might be something, but he's often injured.

And Christian Campbell feels like, you know, capital B bust.

Let's not use that ever again.

No, please.

It's insulting, frankly, to Roman Anthony

to really even put him in the discussion of anybody else.

He's special.

He's different.

So I look, I happen to agree that he's different.

The one thing I'll tell you, it's a lot.

It's a lot to ask a young player to put the whole thing on him.

And offensively, it does feel that way.

But I do think that their lineup might be a little bit better

than we think it's going to be.

So he's unique.

The kid's unique.

He's got a certain poise to him at that age

that is just, you just don't see along, you know,

along with the size and everything else.

Now, will he get hurt again?

I don't know.

I mean, there's no way to predict that sort of stuff,

but his ability is unique.

What about having him hit lead off?

Isn't he maybe better served second,

maybe having someone like to ran lead off

so that he can get on.

And then ostensibly what would be,

you know, you're looking for power from him

and a little bit of a jump this year.

Wouldn't you rather a to run home run

rather than a solo home run?

I'd love him to hit third,

but that's just because I think the best hit

or in baseball hits third.

I've given up this fight.

I will say they were at their best post-Rothel

Devers offensively last year

when Roman Anthony was leading off.

I still think that more has to do

with the fact that Jared Durand did not have a very good year.

If Durand, you know,

reestablishes himself as an impact player in the big leagues,

I would have Durand lead off in bad Anthony third.

Murray, I've given up on this too,

because they've changed.

I can't hate it. I have this antiquity.

Well, so do I.

So do I, but I'll tell you what,

when I looked at it on paper,

not to get all dorked out on you,

I actually wrote something.

I wrote something about this for the website today.

When you lay out their lineup,

they have three left handed hitters

that are going to be a part of their lineup every day.

And that's a brave, that's Durand.

And that's Anthony.

All three of those guys.

Okay, those are the in theory,

the three best left handed hitters on the team.

If you put Anthony in the middle,

you run the risk of leaving yourself more vulnerable

in some of the other parts of the lineup.

And I know this sounds crazy.

But when you get to the bottom of the order,

Raphaela hits righties better than lefties.

The point is, late in the game,

if someone wants to match up,

they can't count Anthony as a lefty,

because he hits.

Okay.

So Anthony's the only one that hits lefties.

And I think actually the way their lineup is structured,

it's better to have them at the top than it is to.

And again, at the end of the day,

I don't think it's a huge deal either way.

I just think that it gives him a little more protection.

He gets bullpen's if he is where he is.

Because if you put Durand at the top,

Raphaela can't hit lefties.

Durand can't hit lefties.

Depending on who's number eight,

you know, he might,

if it's Meyer, he can't hit lefties.

So then all of a sudden,

you're going to have this ripple effect

and a pocket in your lineup

that you can get through a little more easily.

With Anthony at the top,

it gets a little bit more difficult.

I'm not telling you it's a deal breaker.

I'm just telling you that there is an element there

of him at the top of the lineup

that makes sense beyond getting him the most at bats.

And you know what, at the end of the day,

I think really that's what they're doing

is just giving him the most at bats they can give him.

So that's a really interesting way to look at it.

I hadn't thought about the bottom of the lineup.

I'd still be more willing to pinch hit

for Raphaela and Meyer at the bottom of the lineup

to split up the lefties

that are going to struggle against lefties.

I don't want to,

I don't want Durand and Abreu three four five

because then all of a sudden,

you can attack two of those guys because I don't know.

I don't know if Abreu can hit lefties.

Durand hit two 11 against lefties last year.

So I want Anthony in the middle of that

to break up those impact lefties

who might struggle against lefties.

So and that it could happen that way.

And again, that's sort of getting bogged down

in some of the details.

But the other thing Murray is this

in terms of their outlook for the season.

Everybody's pissed off that they didn't go get a right-handed bat

and they should have whether it was Breggman or anyone else.

This shit.

Now look, they brought in Contreras.

And if you want to say Contreras for Breggman on paper

is a is it even swap?

You can make that argument because statistically

they're not that different.

Okay, I happen to think Breggman's a better player

but Contreras allegedly is pretty competitive.

Let's see what he looks like on a daily basis.

So the question then becomes,

you lower your expectations

because they didn't go get the right-handed bat.

No, no, F that.

I'm not letting the management of the team off the hook anymore.

This team should be a World Series contender this year.

I'm going to expect them to be come hell or high water.

So if they didn't make the moves necessary

to make them a World Series contender, F them.

That's what I'm expecting.

I think that's what everyone should expect.

And the only other thing,

McCarthy said this and I would add this.

After the Dodgers, tell me,

who's the second best team in baseball?

I don't know.

Maybe the Blue Jays,

but I'm only basing that on last year,

but they're flawed too.

Okay, so they have,

they lost their shit and two of their pitches.

I know.

So now the Yankees,

but we've seen that act before.

Yeah, right.

They can hit a crap down a home run.

You get them in the playoff,

they strike out a lot

and they have some physical questions in the rotation too.

I don't care how much the Metspan

I'm never going to believe in them.

Okay, so they're a hard one to buy into.

Cubs, good team.

I don't know.

Can they really, can they get that far?

The Braves, everybody loves the Braves lineup on paper.

Last year, they kind of disappointed

as much as anything in the game.

So the point being is,

I think you can be right there with everybody else.

I think you can be fighting for that second spot.

And then you know what?

Take your chances.

So to me, World Series are bust.

If they don't want to go out and get it

in the lead right handed hitter,

my attitude is F them.

I'm expecting it anyway.

So that's the way I'm looking at headline.

Maz 2026 Red Sox F them.

They're a World Series contender.

Whether they like it or not.

All right, we have given our thoughts

on the upcoming season with Red Sox.

Let's hear yours at 617779085.

We'll get to your calls and also touch on whether

the national media considers the Red Sox

a legitimate threat to win the World Series this year.

Come on up next here.

I'm Felga and Nash.

Sean and Lawrence, go Sean.

He keeps saying like, oh, I didn't actually watch the game.

Whether it's Patriots, Celtics,

Bruins, whatever.

Like, isn't your job to talk to your folks

to actually watch sports?

So I would say my job is to get you to listen.

That is the job mission accomplished.

Take this job and jump.

Felga and Nash, 985.

The sports hub.

All right, let's get to your predictions.

And since you're talking about the blue jays,

who do you have winning that division?

Yeah, it's close.

I actually picked Boston.

I actually picked Boston.

Okay.

Really actually was kind of down on them

after the Debra Strait.

They look like a bit of a mess.

I covered them when Debra's played against them

in San Francisco that first weekend.

I just didn't love the vibe.

And they turned it around.

189 games.

And now they're kind of set up.

Like Alex Corris taken some hits.

Certainly Craig Brezel has taken some hits.

I like that team.

We know what that starting rotation looks like

with the additions they've made.

And obviously Garic Rocher, one of the best

pictures on the planet.

That line up the Roman Anthony.

The step he took in the WBC.

Abraya, I just love everything

that's sort of coming together with Boston.

But boy, it's going to be competitive at the top.

Yeah, and welcome back, Felga and Nash, 985.

Sports hub.

Again, Felga out today.

Nash here between the Twin Towers

of your truly big gym, Matt McCarthy.

So he likes them winning the East.

I give him a chance more than a

a puncher's chance to win the East.

Again, the Yankees always seemingly find a way

to be old and injured.

And I know that they're probably

feeling a little bit better

about their pitching staff because of

Cam Schletler.

But still, I'm not impressed with the Yankees.

Tampa Shore can be frisky, but they're the rays.

You know what they're stealing is.

And the Orioles aren't there yet.

So yeah, sure.

To win the East and why not go in the depot season run?

And just looking.

So I wanted to look this up too,

just in terms of their odds to win the World Series.

Because we were going through this in the first segment.

Because Matt says F them, World Series are bust.

So outside of the Dodgers who are the prohibitive favorite

drafting sportsbook plus 230 Yankees 10 to 1.

Mariners 12 to 1.

Metz 13 to 1.

I said again, I don't care how much money they spend.

I don't believe in them.

And then the Blue Jays at 15 and 1.

And the Red Sox and Phillies are tied for six that's 16 to 1.

Sure.

Yeah.

No, they should be in that mix.

Yeah, that's how I look at it.

I don't I don't think there's a massive difference

between the Red Sox and the Mariners.

Okay, now look, the Mariners are better.

I think they're pitching is probably better.

And you know, they have Raleigh in the middle.

They're lying up.

The Red Sox don't have a guy like that.

Although if Anthony has a big year,

no, Tony's going to hit 60.

Part of my ignorance on this to they bring back

you, Henny Oswarras.

No, he's gone.

Yeah, he went to Cincinnati.

Oh, okay.

One year 15 million.

So he got a cheap contract.

And they let him go in Seattle.

So, you know, the Mariners have some offensive issues.

The Tigers have offensive issues.

You know, the the Yankees we've seen a lot of

and we know what their problems are.

It's going to be pretty stagnant.

So if it goes right and I'm not telling you,

I'm not guaranteeing anything.

I'm just telling you, they have as good a chance

as anybody not named the Dodgers.

Or pretty damn near close.

So if I were them, I would take their chances.

And you know, I think some of their young guys

are going to get better.

I do believe that.

And that's what they're sort of banking on.

But interestingly enough,

I think Korra has major questions about the offense.

And if you remember early in spring training, Murray,

when he was asked, he said, you know,

pitch and play defense, he sort of refrained

from getting into the lineup.

And he sound hesitant about the batting order.

And basically said, you know, we're going to have to rely on

some young guys to accomplish some things.

He had a chance to recant some of that today.

And he didn't.

Jimmy, this is Korra number six.

He was asked about, you know, the overall,

whether I think a question was whether or not

this was one of his most complete teams.

Now, how complete do you feel that this team is

and maybe is this maybe one of the most complete teams

you've coached here with your tenure with the Red Sox?

Last year was a complete team until

Cos has got heard.

And then we made a decision on training Rafi.

And then after that, you know, we kind of like adjust.

We have this situation.

We got some guys here that they're part of the roster now.

And they did an amazing job.

But overall, I think deeper, deeper in the rotation,

feel very confident.

And I would last year at this time, we didn't talk about

the early or totally right.

But now we know who we have and how we can, you know,

make adjustments throughout the season.

So at this level, if you pitch, you have a shot.

And I do believe we can un-pitch.

Boy, that's that's tepid in terms of the lineup.

Yeah, I mean, and he's right to talk up

something was young arms like

Connolly, really, and Peyton, Toli,

and say anything about any kind of pop in the lineup or anything like that.

It's pretty meandering answer.

Wasn't it?

He kind of went all over the place.

I never really said the question was pretty simple.

No, the gist of it was I like our pitching.

Yeah, that was really it.

Yeah.

So I think he has major concerns about the lineup.

And the core always has a hard time.

Hiding what he really feels.

And in some ways, that's his best quality.

Because he, you know, as much as, you know,

when he BSes you, he doesn't come off as convincing.

And I think he knows it.

So and I think in that case, it's like, yeah, you know,

well, you know, if we can pitch, we get a shot.

Oh, so you think your lineup sucks.

He didn't say anything about the lineup.

I mean, that's how I took that.

I mean, I don't know how you can't take any other way at this point,

but I mean, he's right.

I mean, they have a ton of questions in the lineup.

That is going to be the story of this Red Sox season.

Can they overachieve what we think their lineup is?

And as you alluded to in the first segment,

there's certainly a possibility that they can.

If Durand is better, if a brave who improves,

if Anthony is what we all think he is,

you know, this lineup is going to look a lot better

than it could potentially, you know, look on paper.

That being said, Trevor's story gets hurt.

They're screwed.

I mean, because they have no right-handed hitters

beyond that, beyond story and contraris

that hurts them in the middle and field.

They have very little pot beyond that.

So there is very little margin for error.

The story of this Red Sox season will be

how much can their lineup potentially overachieve

or how much will it bring them down?

And Korra is right to question all of it.

I have the same questions.

You have the same questions.

We all have the same questions.

That being said, the landscape of the American League

says every single one of the teams at the top

has a major question like the Red Sox.

So why not them?

That's kind of my attitude.

Yeah, I get, you know, I get being concerned

in terms of injury with Trevor's story.

My thing with Trevor's story is,

do you really expect them to hit 25 home runs again this year

between him and her oldest chap?

Yeah, I think if you're going to,

if you think you're going to get repeat seasons

out of those two guys, I think, I mean, it could happen,

but I think you're crazy to think that I would.

Trevor's story didn't believe it was going to happen

because he didn't go out to the market.

He took the money and stayed here.

I mean, so he thought that the rest of baseball

would look at his 2025 season and say,

not sustainable, we're not going to pay him.

So yeah, I mean, Trevor's story probably doesn't believe

Trevor's story can do that.

If he stays healthy, yeah, I mean, hopefully he has something

close to the season he had last year.

I'm not exactly, you know, a big believer in him.

So I hear your concerns about it,

but that being said, if you're ranking the importance

of players on this team,

the story might be the third most important guy

because they cannot afford to lose him

and they need him to be close to an all-star quality player

if this lineup is going to do anything.

Maybe the infield is a concern.

There isn't a lot of depth there

and there are some guys in some injury histories,

particularly in the middle, Meyer and story both.

I mean, both of those guys haven't been able to generally stay

healthy, no, story did last year.

You know, Narvaez faded down the stretch last year.

So he kind of, you know, with catchers,

you almost half expect it.

I don't know what the hell to expect out of Durban.

You know, we none of us has ever seen him play

on a regular basis.

There was, there was a piece of news today, though,

that I think is worthy of mention

because we talked a lot about it.

And that is that Connolly Early is going to be in the rotation.

He's going to start on Sunday in the third game of the year.

Oviato was going to start in the bullpen.

And it felt like over the weekend that that was flipped.

But it was. Yeah.

Yeah, look, Maria, I thought for sure both early and totally,

we're going to go to AAA.

As it turned out,

Toli is the only one going now.

Connor was asked about this.

Jimmy, this is a four or five.

Yeah, this is why Toli going to the minors over early.

And I thought this was an interesting answer.

Can't have both in the biggest, you know,

that's the way we saw, you know,

you hear to win a lot of games in April,

but we're here to win a lot of games over 162.

And it doesn't make sense roster wise to carry both of them.

It just felt like early, kind of like earned that spot.

And Toli did everything that we asked them to do.

There's still some development.

And he'll do that.

You know, we added some pitches throughout the camp

and the off season.

He's going to keep improving down there.

And, you know, at one point without making promises,

I believe he's going to contribute at this level.

But it's not right now.

OK, I think there's a little bit of bull crap in that answer.

One of which is, I think ideally,

they would have sent the bolt down,

which is what Chris Cattello, a mass live,

wrote earlier in camp.

And they would have sent the bolt down

to control their service time

so that they'll be here for a seven season.

That can still happen, by the way,

just because early is starting with the big lead team.

It doesn't mean they can't send them down in two weeks

and leave them there for three months.

OK, they can totally do that.

But because of the way things went

with the World Baseball Classic,

Ranger Suarez got delayed.

Bayo got a pushback a little bit.

So McCarthy asked you a second to go,

how many pitches in Suarez scored at 850?

No, he went back out for the fifth inning.

Let me find the number.

He probably threw somewhere from 65 to 70 and got lit up.

He threw 69 pitches.

OK, so ideally, ideally you want your starters to be,

you know, pretty close to 90 by the time you break camp.

You can get away with 75 and then bump them to 90

in the season opener.

But the point being is if the guy has a rough game,

you got to pull them in the fourth of a fifth inning.

And so this is what they're worried about here

at the start of the year.

So they want Oviato and the bullpen

to be there as a long man behind Suarez, behind Bayo.

And so early is going to go the third game of the year.

So I actually like it.

I think that kind of fell into something.

And if early pitches well, they're

going to have a hard time putting them out of there.

So hell, let's hope the kid pushed it.

You don't force his there and end.

All right, Marcel Meyer has also been named the Red Sox

Second Basement.

And that this past weekend by Alex Korra,

how long will that actually last this season?

We'll discuss next here on Felburn Mazz

after the headlines with Matt McCarthy.

Felgis.

Mazz.

Oh, I got a hand.

The sports out.

Was there something that you needed to see in camp?

Or was this just like not wanting

to put the cart before the horse with someone who has an accident?

I wanted to fish him.

You know, he, I mean, nothing is given here.

Obviously last year wasn't great for him,

offensively, but he's part of the process.

And then he understands that.

But we have some capable players here

that can play Second Basement most of the time, too.

So how to respect the whole group.

And obviously understanding that there's

certain things that he needs to do.

And he showed me that he's been disciplined,

especially down his own.

Obviously, everything changes when the season starts,

but so far, so good.

He's been really good.

I'm not chasing pitches down.

He's the ball hard.

Yes, right.

That was a good effort.

It's a lefty.

He hit it to left field.

He hit that ball hard.

And a little by little, he gained confidence.

I was like, OK, this is going to be OK.

He will be OK.

When you say a question, are you talking about,

are you talking about, you know, about swing decisions

or pull it around players?

You know, defense based running just the player pushing

to shows that he's capable of doing this and he hit it.

Marcelo Meyer has been named the starting Second Basement

for the Red Sox as they're getting ready to break camp,

start their 2026 campaign, Thursday afternoon,

in Cincinnati against the Reds.

It's kind of crazy to consider.

Meyer is going to be the eighth opening day Second Basement

for the Red Sox in his many years.

And no one's played 100 games at Second Basement for the Red

Sox in Dustin, but Roy in 2016.

That's embarrassing.

What count on it this year, guys,

based on the way he's talking about Marcelo Meyer.

Yeah, so how long does this last?

Because it still doesn't sound like he has the full confidence

in Alex Quora.

Yeah, I mean, that's the story here.

And it's been the story, frankly,

for a number of months at this point.

I mean, the organizational walkback that is happening

on Marcelo Meyer right now is just stunning to me.

And this guy was, you know, basically sold to us

as the second coming.

Now he's splitting time at Second Basement,

bum ass Isaiah, kind of Falefa.

Like, I mean, you got to be kidding me with that.

I just, it'd be one thing, guys,

if Romeo Gonzalez were healthy and you say, okay,

we're going to help the kid out.

He didn't really hit last year, you know,

Gonzalez mashes lefties.

And we're going to platoon Meyer and Gonzalez.

That I understand, but Isaiah, kind of Falefa,

that's who you're platooning Marcelo Meyer with.

I mean, I'm sorry, that's a joke.

I know Quora loves platoons because he was a platoon player

himself, but doesn't that tell you they still think

that something is not right with him?

I think the way they've talked about him this camp

is they're trying to wake him up.

You know, this is a player who I was told two years ago,

somebody said to me, you know, that,

well, you know, I think the Red Sox would probably like it

if he played through a few, you know,

more of these bumps and bruises.

So the way I've looked at this spring training is,

they're trying to tell him that we don't just

give you these things because you're the fourth overall pick.

You know, you actually have to kind of work for this.

I think they've been trying to goose him,

but at this point, like, are we really going to goose him

with a guy who shouldn't be in the big leagues

in Isaiah Kinerful, I'm sorry.

It's just a joke.

What do you think the question is in their shoes?

Because like the injury thing has been real,

but has he had injuries he could have maybe played through?

Did they think he's a pus or is he a bit of a hammer?

I think it's an intangible thing.

You know, does he really want to be out there?

I mean, he has all the talent in the world.

I mean, you watch him play.

It's beautiful.

I mean, he looks beautiful in the field.

He's, I mean, his swing is gorgeous,

but his minor league statistics,

which are not everything,

have never really kind of matched up with the look

and the swing and the hype of the player.

I mean, he's kind of statistically underperformed

throughout the minor leagues.

He hasn't played a lot of baseball.

He hasn't played through a lot of injuries.

He keeps getting hurt.

So I think they're using this opportunity

to try and wake him up and say,

you need to do a little bit more than just kind of show up

and rely on your natural ability

to tap into the full potential that he has.

I think that's their approach with him,

but they're still doing it.

Even when it's obvious to the entire world

that their best team is Marcella Meyer playing every day

and now they're still trying to do this thing.

Like, watch out.

There's something not right with this.

You know what this feels like to me a little bit, Murray?

Tyler Sagan and not, not to the,

I'm not saying the problems specifically were the same,

but Sagan was a freaking kid.

You know, dummy.

Yeah, he was a kid who wanted to go out

and have a good time.

And there was that line he said when he got traded

to Dallas where he said, you know,

don't be on a team with a bunch of married guys

or something like that.

Remember, it was like, you know,

what would you give an advice to a guy coming in

who was your age and he said, don't, you know,

get on a team, don't get on a team with a lot of married guys

because they just weren't on the same page.

And in Meyer's case, look, I've heard he likes video games

and he's gaming all the time.

So, Alex, spirit, a story in yesterday's globe

and I don't know if whether you guys saw this or not.

But Spiel wrote,

the spring training schedule can be challenging days start early

and with Meyer needing to layer time in the trainer's room

for work on his wrist into the rest of his activities,

he seemed at a never ending rush,

sprinting from one activity the next.

Often he'd get through his work just in time

for the start of team drills.

Occasionally, he ran slightly behind.

Members of the organization reinforce their expectations.

Quote, and this is Jose Flores now,

the first base in infield coach.

Flores said, hey, you're really good,

but you can be extremely good.

If you wanna be up there, you have to just continue to work.

You need to be on time.

You need to take care of your pregame.

You need to take care of your body.

You need to do the things to prepare to win a ball game.

If he continues to do that, he'll be just fine.

He's got a time management problem.

Like I do to that age.

He's goofing off.

Yeah.

Anything he can show up and just because I'm Marcelo Meyer,

I was a top draft pick.

I have all this talent.

I should be able to get away with this

and I'll show up when I want to show up.

And you guys know how it is, Matthew,

cover team, we all know this at any level.

You're not even professional sports with coaches, managers.

If you're not 15 minutes early, you're late.

You can't just show up when the hell you wanna show up.

There are guys who grind and there are guys who don't.

And I think Marcelo Meyer, just reading between the lines here

is a guy who has gotten by on his natural ability.

Which, I mean, jumps off the screen at you.

Sure.

But here's what I'm frustrated by.

You didn't know this until now.

I mean, you built the entire future

of the franchise around this kid.

And now all of a sudden, the walk backs happening.

Like, I'm sure he's been the same kid

for the last three or four years.

And now-

They chose to ignore it.

Now we're just starting to kick him in the ass now

that you need him and you're relying on him.

Like, they're gonna regret not trading him two years ago

at the height of his value.

When he was a top five, top 10 prospect in the game

when you could have gotten something,

you know, of real significance for him.

Yet, at the same time,

we're gonna try to kick him in the ass

because he's not doing the right things behind the scenes.

By the way, he was supposed to be ready to go

at the beginning of spring training.

Was not ready to play in games at the beginning

of spring training.

So he probably showed up to camp

behind the schedule they put him on.

Yet they wouldn't trade him for Catelle Marte

this off season.

It's just not consistent.

Like, you need to make decisions on guys like this.

Is he gonna figure it out or not?

And if you think he's gonna figure it out

and you didn't trade him, so I guess you think that,

then you gotta give him the job and he sinks or swim.

Instead of just doing this half-assed,

well, I guess you won't play against lefties

and bum ass Isaiah Kiner for left

is gonna play against lefties.

A guy who's got like a five OPS against the please.

Give me a break with that.

There was a good chance that they're gonna regret

not moving him.

There's a good chance they're gonna regret it.

Now, look, can he play?

I mean, his ability is God-given.

You can see it anytime he steps on the field.

So, but I'll tell you, I wonder, Murray,

here's what I wonder what core is really pissed about.

The big league season is starting this week.

We've had this kid in the operation since 2021.

So this is five, almost five years now.

How did this stuff not get weeded out in the minor league?

Should've been.

Well, to Matt's point, it sounds they because of his talent,

they probably knew that they just chose to ignore it.

And now that he's up, they're like, oh, this is a problem

when they knew it all along.

So it's possible.

It's also remember when Roman Anthony get up here

and all of a sudden he had to be on the field doing

outfield drills because nobody taught him

how to approach a ground ball correctly in the outfield

and the ball went by him in his first game

and rolled to the bullpen wall.

I wonder if this is also a core is way of letting everybody know.

See how effed up our system has been.

This kid's been down in the minor leagues for four years.

Yeah, he had some injuries, but nobody ever once told him

to put down the effing remote control and get your ass out here

because we got to work real quick.

You want to sign that things are not right with him?

Chris Cattillo reported last night that they have not approached him

about a contract extension.

The Red Sox will approach any young player outside of

Jaren Durand about a contract extension.

They fell all over themselves to give it to Kristen Campbell

last year and how that worked.

Richest man in the history of Worcester.

You can buy the entire city, but they won't give it to Meyer.

Red flag.

All right, long course for your segment coming up next.

One open line.

You want to join us?

Give us your thoughts on the Red Sox.

Let's hear from you as they're getting ready to break camp.

Start their season on Thursday in Cincinnati against the Red 617 779 098.

Five New York calls next.

You're unfiltered mess.

Mike and Tony have a definite chemistry.

Are they 100% are they?

Yes, 100 did I do I stun you consider them the periodic table

of sports star?

Put down your pipe and smoke.

Sorry, we need to blow a gas.

No, no, blow it baby.

Blow it.

Bellgood and Max.

What did you see from Connolly this spring that?

That gave you comfort with him is the same thing.

You gave me confidence to pitch him and Yankee Stadium in the

locker series, so stuff wise.

He's really good.

I think he's up to the challenge.

He slows down the moments and he's getting better.

Before we get to your calls here in our long commercial free

segment, if you open up talking about the Red Sox, you're getting

ready to break camp.

Start their season Thursday against the Reds.

That is Alex Cora, the Red Sox manager talking about young

Connolly early, who did make the club is going to be part of the

rotation great spring 159 ERA over 17 innings 16 strikeouts.

You remember him from the post season last year, another

antiquated thought I have as it comes to baseball in this team.

Like, you know, how I look at Roman Anthony who is a stud, but

why you batten him first shouldn't he be third or fourth.

He's your best hitter.

Oh, old man.

How about this one too?

Connolly early, Peyton Toley, these to me could be asses in seats,

young arms for this club.

Okay, one has made it.

How about the other?

You're still to me.

Yes, I know it's pro sports, but you're still to me with pro sports.

You're kind of still in the entertainment business.

These two guys, especially Peyton Toley, people got jazzed up to watch

this kid pitch last year with the big burly mustache or the size

and everything.

And he's starting to trip away.

I kind of hate it.

I would like to see both of them on the big club.

So I'm actually totally fine with the totally decision.

That first start was awesome.

It was electric.

He's not ready.

They need to if they really want him because he has one pitch right now

and it's fastball.

So, you know, to me, sending Toley to triple A is actually the correct

baseball decision because I want him to work on the secondary stuff down

there.

I want to polish him a little bit more before he comes up.

Conversely, early is ready to go.

I mean, this guy and Maz, you can speak to this and you were all over

this last year and you were spot on about it.

I mean, really after his first start, he is a polished like this guy's a

pitcher.

He's not a thrower.

He's a pitcher.

Totally still at this point to me as a thrower and you want to develop him

into a pitcher.

I love the fact that early made this roster like this is a baseball

decision.

It doesn't seem like it has to do with the money.

Catello reported that they have not talked about an extension with him.

He won the job.

He earned the job.

Now, they probably would have wanted to send him to Worcester to, you know,

manipulate the service time, but Oviato didn't do anything to win the job.

Juarez is not ready coming off of the World Baseball Classic.

Their best 26 right now, their best starting rotation is with Connolly early in it.

I think they made that for a baseball decision.

They made that decision for baseball reasons.

I'm on board with it.

I love it.

I love the way they ultimately came down to the decision with both early and

totally.

I think the baseball decisions led to that ultimate decision.

Look, I hope the kid absolutely shoves the bats down the throats of the reds

and everybody else.

He faces.

Then he has to stay.

What are you going to do?

Send them down to the minors and send that message to your team.

So and like Matt Murray, I view them as different cases and I'll tell you why early was drafted

a year later than I'm sorry, a year earlier than Toli was.

Toli was only drafted in 2024.

He's only started 18 games in the minor leagues.

That's basically a half season.

He went from a ball to the big leagues like that and it was fast.

So he could probably use a little more time.

Early has made 42 starts in the minor leagues, you know, but almost more than double, obviously.

And then beyond that was is a little older.

So I think they're picking the right guy.

If they're going to have one of them there and I'm just happy they're not sticking it

to both of them.

And I hope this kid shoves the bats up the noses of the reds and everybody else and then

they don't have a choice.

It shows that they're serious about this year.

Because I think maybe in years past, with how future focused they were, they would have

sent early to AAA to manipulate the service time.

Like their best rotation out of the gate is early starting the third game in Cincinnati.

It's the way it is.

I'm very happy with the decision.

It's probably my favorite decision they've made coming out of camp.

All right.

We'll get to your calls on the socks.

One open line.

You want to join us 617779095.

A few of you have been hanging a whole hour, so promise to get right to your calls on

the socks.

After the headlines here with Matt McCarthy on Filgrin Miss.

Everybody burrs always rise to the occasion for summer vacation planning.

Because early gets you closer to the action.

So don't feel late.

Book your next vacation early on Verbo and save over $120.

Rise and shine.

Ever savings $141 select homes only.