Things were looking pretty decent heading into Sunday at Fenway. The sun was out, the crowd was loud, and the Boston Red Sox had a chance to snag some momentum against a strong Atlanta Braves team. But by the fifth inning, the early optimism had completely vanished. What started as a hopeful afternoon turned into a head-scratcher. And by the end, fans had one big question: what exactly is going on with the rotation?
The Boston Red Sox are hanging around the .500 mark. They are scraping wins and staying relevant in the AL East. But that all came to a roaring downfall during Sunday’s 10-4 blowout loss. And it also highlighted one hidden issue—cracks in the starting division. And one name was at the center of it all.
Brayan Bello!
Bello: hasn’t thrown a strike all inning
Cora: standing on top step with a concerned look but does nothing
Experience Red Sox baseball
— Bill Moteau (@degencanadian) May 18, 2025
The $55 million Boston Red Sox investment just didn’t have a good time. Now, coming into the game, his numbers look solid on the upside. With a 2.33 ERA through his five starts, things didn’t look dire. The Boston Red Sox had even won four of those, too. But when you dig deeper, the red flags or warning signs were there. His WHIP is north of 1.4, his strikeouts were down, and his FIP painted a rather messier picture.
And the results were completely visible when the Braves didn’t just beat Bello; they lit him up. Two runs in the first, more in the third and fourth, and then a brutal fifth inning—that sealed it. Ten hits, five walks, and seven earned runs in over four innings. At 23-34, Boston is still in second place. But next, they have to face the New York Mets, and hence, they need more than just flashes. They need answers and need them fast. But for now, Boston fans are asking why Bello was left out there so long, even after displaying such poor gameplay. And fingers are being pointed at none other than their manager, Alex Cora.
Boston Red Sox fans fume over manager Alex Cora
Fans aren’t thrilled about Cora’s gamble with Bello. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The real frustration lies rooted in years of inconsistency, sloppy gameplay, and, frankly, a whole lot of nothing to show for it.
One user asked how many chances Red Sox fans are going to give Alex Cora. Because just some weeks prior, there was also a major issue about the first base. Since Triston Casas went out of the roster, there was a huge question about who would man first base. Fans thought that Rafael Devers would take the role. But Cora said he didn’t even speak with him and rolled in the names of Toro and Gonzalez. Of course, now it is known that Devers was approached personally, but he denied taking the role. Then, the fans are simply mad that Cora didn’t seem far-sighted, and even now that seems to be a major complaint.
How much longer are red sox fans going to give Alex Cora a pass?
Brain dead management this year from him
— Boston Aggie (@BostonAggie) May 18, 2025
Fans are not pointing fingers at the player but rather at Cora now, completely. They are not shy of saying that Cora is the rot, the main issue in the organization. Once hailed as the World Series hero, his tenure is becoming one marred with drama and disappointment. Now, given that the Orioles fired Brandon Hyde after a slow start, Boston fans, too, are growing impatient and wondering how much longer Cora will be given a chance. One team cannot be on a rebuild forever; an upward rise is expected. Look at the Rangers, even they are suddenly looking great now. But this is not what Red Sox fans are seeing unfold.
Fans are literally saying they would have done a better job than Cora. They simply are growing restless, and while Boston hasn’t fallen as far as the Orioles, the team has underperformed. Since leading the Sox to the ALCS in 2021, Cora hasn’t delivered a winning season. Last winter’s big moves, like Garrett Crochet and Alex Bregman, haven’t translated to success so far. If Cora can’t find answers soon, his seat might get hotter than Hyde’s ever was.
Fire Alex Cora. Bello did not have it today. He was lucky to get thru 4 innings, only giving up 4 runs. Any fan watching knew he was about to blow the game in the 5th. Hire me for 50,000 a year, and I will do a better job. AND NO, I DON’T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT BELLO’S LOW PITCH COUNT
— Chris Sauer (@chrissauer398) May 18, 2025
Boston Red Sox fans are simply hurt. In earlier seasons, they relied heavily on the farm system and didn’t really spend much on free agents. The expectations, hence, were not huge. But this time, things look different. They wanted to change the outlook and were ready to spend. Not to mention, they tried to get Juan Soto, showing their will to build a winning team. David Ortiz, aka Big Papi, infact, went on to pitch for Juan Soto too. Sure, they didn’t get Soto, but at least Bregman is here, but even then, nothing seems to have changed.
Brayan Bello got torched, and fans are not letting it go. And how would they? According to Underdog Fantasy’s Justin Havens, Bello just became the first Boston Red Sox starter to give at least 10 hits and five walks in under five innings since Oil Can Boyd did it in 1986. That’s nearly 40 years of history, and not the kind of thing that Boston wants to repeat.
What do you think about Alex Cora? Do you think he needs to get another chance? Or should the franchise look for other options? Let us know in the comments.
The post Boston Fans Lash at Red Sox Manager After $55M Starter’s Costly Outing Exposes Massive Hole in Lineup appeared first on EssentiallySports.
