Forget all the Wild Card hype around the Red Sox and Yankees, because two numbers are screaming louder than anything else right now: a brutal .199 batting average and a miserable .579 OPS for Boston’s hitters in their 13 games against New York this season. That’s the cold, hard truth, and it’s a gut punch for any fan hoping for a deep run.
Boston’s Bats Are Just Not Showing Up
Seriously, those numbers are horrifying. We’re talking about a lineup that just cannot consistently connect against their biggest rival. The only guy on this postseason roster who’s even sniffing decent numbers against the Yankees is Roman Anthony, rocking a .286 average and an .804 OPS. But here’s the kicker: he’s only played in two of those 13 games, so does it even count? It’s not looking good, even historically. Remember that four-game sweep back in June at Fenway? That was all pitching, baby. The Yankees scored just three, one, and one run, and Sonny Gray almost no-hit them in Game 4. The bats were quiet then, and they’re quiet now. This absolute inability to score runs is exactly what wiped them out last year when Cam Schlittler shut them down in Game 3 of the Wild Card, and it’s how their 2021 ALCS run ended too, with one run on three hits, then zero runs on two hits in those final games. The bats just disappear.
The Injury Bug and Yankee Stadium Woes
And it gets worse when you look at the individual stories. Mickey Gasper, one of the few guys who’s actually done well against velocity this year, is totally out of the series with a biceps injury. Just brutal timing, right? Who stands to gain the most at-bats because of that? Jarren Duran. And get this: his career numbers at Yankee Stadium, postseason included, are flat-out tragic. We’re talking a .162 average, a .437 OPS, and an unbelievable ZERO home runs in 129 plate appearances! He’s a lefty batting in that park, and he’s never once put one out? You’d think one ball would leave the yard by accident given the dimensions and the sample size. This isn’t just 2026 Duran either, it includes his good seasons too! Plus, the Red Sox haven’t been able to hit *any* pitching lately. They scored six or more runs a solid 49 times this season, but in their last 21 games? Exactly zero times. Even the April Red Sox managed to drop six on the board eight times this year.
No matter how you slice it, the Red Sox lineup is banged up, ice cold, and facing a massive uphill battle. This is the definition of a postseason where your hitting needs to show up, or it’s gonna be a short, incredibly frustrating ride home.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
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