BALTIMORE — The Red Sox have posted a baffling .500 record (218-218) with a negative 20-run differential at Fenway Park since the start of the 2019 season. Road teams have outscored them 2,268-2,248.
“We have to be better,” manager Alex Cora said before Boston’s 8-4 win against the Orioles at Camden Yards. “We haven’t been good in Fenway since 2019.”
Opening Day at Fenway is Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 p.m.
The Red Sox had losing records at Fenway in 2019, ‘20, ‘23 and ‘24. They had a negative-19 run differential at home even when they finished five games over .500 there in 2022.
The 2021 season is the outlier. Boston went 49-32 with a positive-68 run differential in its own ballpark. And so it’s no coincidence that 2021 is the only year Boston has made the postseason since winning the 2018 World Series.
The 2024 Red Sox went five games above .500 on the road and five games below .500 at Fenway. They would have finished with 86 wins last year had they posted the same record at Fenway Park as they did on the road.
The Tigers and Royals both clinched playoff spots last year with 86 wins.
It’s not rocket science: Play well at home, make the playoffs.
“If you see the way that we have hit the ball to left field, left-center in these first six games, it looks like a team that should dominate at Fenway offensively,” Cora said. “We just have to make sure we keep doing the things that we’re doing. There’s two things that I’m loving about the team — the defense and the base running. It’s really good. And I think offensively we will be good. And the pitching has been solid.”
RED SOX AT FENWAY PARK 2019-24:
- 2024: 38-43 record, negative-31 run differential.
- 2023: 39-42 record, negative-6 run differential.
- 2022: 43-38 record, negative-19 run differential.
- 2021: 49-32 record, positive-68 run differential.
- 2020: 11-20 record, negative-45 run differential.
- 2019: 38-43 record, positive-13 run differential.
Is this roster — with the addition of right-handed slugger Alex Bregman — built better for Fenway than other recent Red Sox teams?
“You can say Alex, but TO (Tyler O’Neill) was there (last year) and he hit 30,” Cora said.
Cora, however, did say this lineup has more balance this year.
“Jarren (Duran) is driving the ball to left-center, which is good,” Cora said. “And we got some other right-handed hitters that can benefit from Fenway. People talk about the decision of Alex playing third and Raffy (Rafael Devers) being the DH. I always thought we need two impactful right-handed batters.”
Cora believes that 22-year-old rookie Kristian Campbell already is an impactful right-handed hitter.
“Obviously KC is still a kid and whatever but we believe he can impact a lineup and he’s doing it so far,” Cora said.
Cora also mentioned they have right-handed hitter Trevor Story playing every day after he appeared in just 26 games last year because he dislocated his shoulder and fractured the glenoid rim.
“Trevor is looking better,” Cora said. “And the more he plays, the better he’s gonna be. A more balanced lineup and left-handed hitters that can drive the ball to left center, which is good.”
Devers’ strength is driving the ball to left-center field. Left-handed hitting first baseman Triston Casas also is putting a focus on driving the ball to left-center field.
Campbell, a right-handed hitter, has gone mostly to center and right field but he did pull a 79.4 mph curveball to left field for a home run here Thursday.
“Good (right-handed) hitters, they drive the ball to right-center,” Cora said. “They drive the fastball to right-center and then they get mistakes in the zone, soft ones, and they pull it. To hit it in the air, it doesn’t matter. Hit it hard in the air — I think that should be kind of like the message. Sometimes we get caught up in pulling the ball and all that stuff. I think you stay on pitches. And Manny (Ramirez) used to talk about it, especially at Fenway. The wall is your friend. Don’t try to hit it all the time to the wall. Just stay on pitches and that’s gonna happen. And I think his (Campbell’s) approach is great. He makes late decisions, too, which is amazing.”
