Boston Red Sox second baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa gave a cryptic reply regarding the team’s poor home record this season. After losing the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles at home on Tuesday night, he was asked about the team’s underwhelming home record, which is 9-20 compared to their away record of 16-14 so far this season.
“Everybody in here is sick of it, we gotta find a way to be better. I just feel like on the road we’re very close-knit team. We come home and there’s just a lot of people, and it’s different, and it’s just a different vibe at home, and we gotta figure out a way to make it small like how it is on the road,” Kiner-Falefa said.
Fans eagerly responded to Falefa’s remarks on the team’s weak home record, some calling for an investigation to uncover what causes the ballclub’s poor performance at home, even though they have a winning percentage above .500 on the road.
“He’s clearly not wanting to name names, but this really needs to be looked into. It’s certainly not the only reason, but knowing every reason helps,” one fan commented.
“One of the strangest quotes I’ve maybe ever heard,” another fan commented.
“Seems pretty clear what he’s hinting at and someone in a position of power within the organization needs to step up,” yet another fan commented.
Some other fans attempted to guess the names Kiner-Falefa could have been hinting at as plausible causes of disrupted team morale during home games at Fenway Park.
“Translation: “When we’re at Fenway, there’s this weird dude named ‘Craig’ who brings his English/English translator around so he can talk to us in the clubhouse. Fortunately, he doesn’t remember what it’s like to be a big leaguer – so he doesn’t ever travel with the team,” one fan commented.
“I think he means outside as in outside of the team. Like families of the guys taking their time and focus away when they’re back home. I doubt it’s anything deeper than that,” another fan commented.
“AKA every time we come back home, Craig and Sam and their sweater vests are too close for our liking, and we play better when those nerds are hundreds of miles away from us,” yet another fan commented.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa is ‘Sick’ of Boston’s Poor Record at Fenway Park This Season
In the postgame interview, per MassLive’s Sean McAdam, Kiner-Falefa not only provided a reason for the Red Sox’s poor home record but also voiced his angst over it, stating that something had changed quickly as the team, with a 25-34 overall record, is contending and sitting at the bottom of the AL East division.
“It’s like the normal way at Fenway thing. Sick of it. Gotta figure out a way to gain some momentum here — score early, get the fans on our side early, get the environment (going) early. It’s hard to get the place jumping when you’re not out in front early. We just have to do a better job scoring first at home and trying to get the crowd into it and get some momentum on our side. It’s not good enough,” Kiner-Falefa said.
After losing the opening game of the series, the Red Sox are now striving to win game 2 on Wednesday to prevent a significant intra-division series loss against the Orioles. Boston will send Payton Tolle (2-2) to the mound for game 2, facing Orioles veteran Chris Bassitt (4-3).
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