RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesIt has been an underwhelming year for the Boston Red Sox offense, which entered the season multiple bats short after trading Rafael Devers last year and losing Alex Bregman this offseason. While the team addressed its need for power in a Saturday night deal with the Washington Nationals to acquire infielder Curtis Mead , Boston still lacks a reliable bat atop their lineup.
Whether it be Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida, or Anthony Seigler, just to name a few, the Red Sox have yet to find someone to consistently hold down the leadoff spot in their lineup.
The season began with the 21-year-old phenom Anthony leading off for Boston, where the former No. 1 overall prospect struggled to a .214/.347/.274/.671 line in 22 games. However, after Boston made the decision to fire manager Alex Cora , interim manager Chad Tracy made a major lineup shuffle in search of a spark for the struggling offense, moving Anthony into the three-hole, where he would remain until landing on the injured list on May 5.
Jul 26, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) hits an RBI against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Fenway Park. Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Tracy instead turned to dynamic left fielder Jarren Duran to lead things off for the Red Sox, hoping the 29-year-old could recapture his 2024 form, when he hit .286/.341/.494/.835 in 153 games en route to an eighth-place finish in American League MVP voting.
However, Duran’s struggles at the dish followed him to the leadoff spot as the should-be spark plug hit only .215/.269/.409/.678 in the role before being moved back down in the order.
Since then, Tracy has mixed and matched his leadoff position, giving Yoshida, Ceddanne Rafaela, Jahmai Jones, and Andruw Monasterio a chance to seize the opportunity.
At other times, Tracy has chosen to ride the hot hand at the position, giving Mickey Gasper and, most recently Anthony Seigler a lot of time in the leadoff position.
Jul 24, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Anthony Seigler (48) celebrates hitting a home run during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Regardless of who is occupying the leadoff spot, the production has been among the worst in the league as Boston’s leadoff spot ranks in the bottom five in baseball in batting average (.215, 29th), on-base percentage (.294, 29th), slugging percentage (.361, 28th), and weighted runs created plus (79, 30th).
As a result, the pressure is on Boston’s 2-4 hitters, Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and Willson Contreras, to manufacture runs in any given inning.
Who can the Red Sox turn to in the leadoff spot?
When looking at the trade market, few potential trade candidates profile as a leadoff hitter besides San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez. The 29-year-old is on a one-year deal with San Francisco, is likely to change teams at the deadline, and has performed well as a leadoff man, hitting .320/.361/.428/.780 in 446 games at the top of the order. However, the trade for Mead, who Boston plans to play at second base , complicates things.
Jul 25, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez (1) rounds third base against Los Angeles Angels third baseman Denzer Guzman (23) as he is batted in on a three run home run during the fourth inning at Oracle Park. Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
The simplest solution to Boston’s leadoff woes is Duran turning things around at the plate, returning to the spark plug he has shown flashes of during his now six-year big league career. The 29-year-old has been among the league’s worst hitters in 2026, ranking in the bottom five among 147 qualified hitters in batting average (.198, 145th), on-base percentage (.257, 146th), OPS (.602, 146th), and wRC+ (61, 146th).
Unfortunately, he has shown little life at the plate, hitting just .170/.217/.258/.475 in 44 games after a torrid month of May.
Long term though, if it’s not going to be Anthony, Boston needs to identify its leadoff man.
Back out West
It will be Yoshida leading things off for the Red Sox on Monday night as they kick off a seven-game West Coast trip beginning with a four-game series in Sacramento with the Athletics. Payton Tolle (5-6, 3.31 ERA) will get the start for the Red Sox opposite Jack Perkins (2-5, 6.75 ERA) for the Athletics . First pitch from Sutter Health Park is set for 9:40 p.m. ET. Payton Tolle (5-6, 3.31 ERA) will get the start for the Red Sox opposite Jack Perkins (2-5, 6.75 ERA) for the Athletics. First pitch from Sutter Health Park is set for 9:40 p.m. ET.
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