The Boston Red Sox needed a win in a big way on Wednesday afternoon. Sox manager Alex Cora called out his team (and the situation he's in) following a loss to the Angels on Tuesday. Thankfully for Boston, luck was on their side in front of a packed Fenway Park crowd. Ceddanne Rafaela hit a walk-off home run by the narrowest of margins to defeat those same Angels. Rafaela homered to the right field corner, and it was just barely fair.
Yankees fans were understandably quick to jump on this moment. No irony is lost in this rivalry between two of the greatest franchises in MLB. Red Sox fans always make fun of the Yankees short porch. Meanwhile, Fenway Park has the shortest porch in MLB at just over 300 feet. It was on fully display on Rafaela's home run, which needed every bit of exit velocity and pop to get over the buffer. Calling the right field barrier a wall feels like a bit much.
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Why the Red Sox needed a win, even if it got them trolled by Yankees fans
Even with the victory, the Red Sox are still four games under .500 and in fourth place in the AL East by 9.5 games to those same Yankees. While the AL Wild Card may still be within reach, a lot would have to go right for Boston to reach the playoffs, not the least of which is their front office actually believing in the team itself.
Wednesday's victory will be a nice reprieve from reality, but let's nor forget what Cora said just yesterday:
"We keep making the same mistakes," he told reporters after the loss, which saw Los Angeles pull it out in extra innings. "We're not getting better. At one point, it has to be on me, I guess ā right? I'm the manager, so, you know, I gotta keep pushing them to be better. They're not getting better."
Reminder: it's early June! The Red Sox have played over 60 games this season. If they're already falling upon hard times, then perhaps Boston isn't meant to last. Here is what ESPN's Jeff Passan had to say about the Red Sox's trade deadline outlook just a few days ago:
"The Red Sox shouldn't be under .500. Regardless of the wounds -- both external and self-inflicted -- they are replete with enough talent to secure an AL playoff spot. If the ugliness continues, though, turning an eye toward 2026 is on the table," Passan wrote.
Does that sound like a team on the verge of a turnaround?