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Hall of Famer Proposes Potential Fix for Slumping Red Sox Offense

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Tyler Maher | Last updated May 27, 2025 12:30 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox are in a funk, and their lineup is a big reason why.

They've lost three straight games to fall to 27-29, managing just four runs over that stretch. They've scored three or fewer runs in six of their last eight games, struggling to generate consistent offense on a nightly basis.

Losing two of their best hitters (Alex Bregman and Triston Casas) to injuries hasn't helped, forcing the Red Sox to rely on Rafael Devers to carry the load. However, they must find other ways to score runs if they want to stay in contention this summer.

After Monday's frustrating 3-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, Hall of Famer and NESN studio analyst Jim Rice offered his thoughts on the state of Boston's floundering offense and what it must do to turn things around.

Jim Rice on the Red Sox offense:

"We’re hitting the ball in the air, but we’re not hitting the ball hard. … You’ve got to play small ball. You can’t play big ball. Why? Because you don’t have big-ball hitters.” pic.twitter.com/mK1JqhvIf1
— NESN (@NESN) May 26, 2025

"You've got to force yourself to do certain things to help the ballclub win," Rice said on NESN's postgame show. "You're in a little slump right now, so what do you gotta go? You've got to play small ball."

Rice, a former hitting coach, may be on to something. With two of their top power bats sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Red Sox need to adjust and try to manufacture runs with speed, contact, and situational hitting rather than relying on the long ball.

Boston has rarely needed to play small ball in the past, thanks to the friendly confines of Fenway Park, but the composition of the team's lineup has changed. With younger, athletic players like Kristian Campbell, Ceddanne Rafaela, Marcelo Mayer, and David Hamilton getting more playing time, the Red Sox need to lean into their strengths and start playing a different brand of baseball.

Hitting the ball in the air and swinging for the fences isn't an optimal strategy for this ballclub anymore. If Boston wants different results, it should consider following Rice's advice.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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