The Boston Red Sox are setting unwanted records. According to a new statistic, their three leadoff hitters, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu, became the first trio in MLB history since 1901 to strike out three straight to start a game. The rare feat occurred in the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, when starter Drew Rasmussen, who finished the game with 13 strikeouts, struck out all three leadoff hitters.
The Red Sox went on to lose 7-5, and with that, the Rays completed a thrilling sweep of their intra-divisional rivals at home. The troubles are mounting for the Boston squad, which still sits at the bottom of the AL East with a 27-39 overall record, 12 games short of the .500 mark and 13.5 games behind the divisional leaders, the Rays.
Fans reacted to the unwarranted feat achieved by Duran, Rafaela, and Abreu and lashed out at the trio and the management for a widely poor performance since the start of the 2026 campaign.
“The Red Sox are making history with their first 3 hitters in the lineup striking out for the 3rd consecutive time to start the game. No team has done that since 1901. Downright embarrassing,” one fan commented.
“Look at these pitches they’re swinging at! All balls. What’s wrong with these guys?” another fan commented.
“This is legit rock bottom,” yet another fan commented.
Some other fans spared Rafaela and Abreu in the hitting lineup but took Duran to task for an extremely poor season at the plate, with many demanding that management trade him in the upcoming window.
“Duran looks absolutely lost at the plate. He needs to sit out a few games. The season is lost, so it’s best to plan for 2027 and beyond,” one fan commented.
“Duran’s gotta go and has had a few nice years. Never won anything, built up as a “leader” on teams that have had constant drama and have been nothing but mediocre. Story falls into this as well. If anything can come of this season, it’s resetting whatever underachieving hierarchy exists,” another fan commented.
“Duran is too fast to be striking out 160+ times per year. Trade him for whatever he brings,” yet another fan commented.
The Red Sox Will Now Commence a Six-Game Homestand
Many fans have now begun singing in unison that the season is over for the Boston team and that the team should focus on the next few years, rebuilding the squad and aiming to sign experienced players to increase competitiveness. Sitting dead last in the division, it currently looks highly unlikely that the team could even make the cut as a wildcard.
While the management will be expected to make some credible changes wherever shortcomings have arisen in recent years, the Red Sox will aim to get out of their losing slump as soon as possible, and the upcoming six-game homestand could be the best opportunity to do so.
The Red Sox will now head back to Boston and play two consecutive three-game series against the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park, starting Friday.
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