The Boston Red Sox are 1-0 in the Alex Bregman era after an Opening Day win over the Texas Rangers, but we can't really credit their new third baseman. Bregman was held to a frigid 0-for-4 at the plate, including a strikeout.
In fact, the entire top of Boston's lineup was off the mark on Thursday. The Red Sox' first four hitters went a combined 1-for-16 at the plate, with their lone hit coming on an eighth-inning Jarren Duran single. Thankfully, the back half of the lineup showed up. More specifically, Wilyer Abreu showed up. He finished 3-for-3 with a walk, smashing two home runs and driving in four of Boston's five runs on the afternoon.
That'll do, but the Red Sox can't expect Abreu to outscore their opponent every day. The top of the lineup, and especially their newly-minted third baseman on a historically expensive contract, will need to show up eventually.
We shouldn't overreact to a single off night from Bregman. It's a 162-game season and everybody goes 0-for-4 at some point. That said, this is in keeping with a mildly concerning career trend for Bregman. He tends to come out of the gates slow.
Alex Bregman is 0-4 today with a strikeout. Hang in there, Red Sox fans. It’ll get better in June.
— SFA has never lost to Duke in men's basketball (@SanAntonioTim) March 27, 2025
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Alex Bregman's slow start for Red Sox is part of a much larger pattern
Bregman has always started slow. It's part of the package. His career batting average in March and April is .248, by far the worst of his month-by-month numbers.
Month | Alex Bregman's Career B.A. |
|---|---|
March/April | .248 |
May | .258 |
June | .268 |
July | .258 |
August | .331 |
September/October | .260 |
So, yeah, it'll look better in June. And July. And especially in August. Bregman heats up as the season progresses, which is fine. It's much better than the opposite. Each MLB player is unique in his tendencies and trends. Bregman needs some time to figure out his swing and build up a rhythm. Given his career-long success at Fenway Park, it should come around eventually for the Red Sox third baseman.
Bregman will continue to bat third behind Jarren Duran and Rafael Devers in the meantime, giving Devers a level of protection he's unaccustomed to. This Boston lineup has been dreadfully short on right-handed slugging in recent years.
The 2024 campaign was a slight step back compared to Bregman's usual standards, but he's a two-time World Series champ with one of the prettiest swings out there. He knows how to work a count and hit to all areas of the field. Boston fans will learn to love him quickly. Well, at least in a couple months.
For now, Red Sox fans can take solace in Abreu's explosive season debut and how well the back end of the lineup performed when the stars weren't hitting. Boston made several upgrades across the board this winter, but how the lineup performs beyond the star-studded top half is probably the biggest swing factor for this team. Especially with so many injuries to the pitching staff.