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MLB analyst explained his ‘level of panic’ with current state of the Red Sox
"They're feeling the heat a little bit right now."
With the Red Sox struggling, the context surrounding the recent five-game losing streak isn’t lost on MLB observers.
As former Red Sox outfielder and current MLB Network analyst Chris Young recently pointed out, the controversial decision to trade Rafael Devers appears to have placed an undue amount of pressure on Boston’s younger players.
“I’m at a level of panic right now,” responded Young when asked about his level of concern. “When you see the offensive struggling since Devers was [traded] out, yes you have very promising young players who deserve to be in the big leagues. And I completely understand that.
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“But now, when you lose Devers,” Young added, “you’re putting all of these young players in positions to where now they feel like they need to be the guy.”
All three of Boston’s high-profile prospects to be promoted in 2025 are struggling at the plate. Roman Anthony is hitting .114, Marcelo Mayer’s average is .208, and Kristian Campbell was at .223 prior to recently being sent down to the minors.
With the contingent struggling, and no one else in the lineup picking up the lost production of Devers, Boston’s offensive output has plunged (a major factor in the recent skid).
“When you’re a young player, you want to be able to come into the big leagues and get your feet wet a little bit,” Young explained. “But now, when you’re talking about a market like the Boston Red Sox, and you’re a young player, and you just [traded] Devers to clear the way for these young players to come and take over the organization, and the team’s message is that we’re going to win more games now than we were winning with Devers.
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“All the pressure now naturally goes — it doesn’t go to Trevor Story — it goes to these young players that you’re making room for,” Young concluded, “and I feel like they’re feeling the heat a little bit right now.”
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