2026 Red Sox preview: 4 questions facing Alex Cora's club The Boston Red Sox punched their ticket back to the postseason for the first time in four years last October. But manager Alex Cora couldn’t mask his disappointment after Boston’s impressive 2025 campaign came to an end after just three postseason games at Yankee Stadium. “Obviously, we should feel the way we feel right now — because we had bigger goals,” Cora said after Boston’s season-ending defeat in Game 3 of the Wild Card round. Optimism is abundant once again at Fenway Park this spring as the mounds of snow piled up around the city melt away. The 2026 Red Sox should take another step forward this summer, given both an elite starting rotation and a young core of talent — led by Roman Anthony — poised to take another step forward. Still, there are several hurdles that Cora’s club will need to clear if they want to build off of last season’s breakthrough effort. As the Red Sox get ready for their season opener on Thursday in Cincinnati, here are four questions facing the 2026 Red Sox: Will they score enough runs? After whiffing on free-agent targets like Pete Alonso and failing to retain Alex Bregman this winter, Craig Breslow and Boston’s top brass shifted their approach to rework an already solid roster. Boston bolstered its starting rotation behind the AL Cy Young runner-up Garrett Crochet — dealing for Sonny Gray and signing Ranger Suarez to a five-year, $130 million contract. If Bryan Bello — who has been dealing this spring — takes another step forward, Boston might roll out the deepest rotation in baseball. But will Boston’s bats do enough to capitalize on the team’s shift toward being a run-prevention juggernaut? Last season, the Red Sox did rank seventh in the majors in runs scored. But there were some flaws in Boston’s approach at the plate.#boston_red_sox #cincinnati #roman_anthony #wilyer_abreu #alex_cora
Jose Altuve in the house cheering on Venezuela 🇻🇪 popcorn The World Baseball Classic saw a dramatic showdown between Venezuela and the United States as the two teams clashed in a high-stakes matchup. Jose Altuve, a star player for the Houston Astros, was spotted in the stands passionately supporting the Venezuelan team, adding an extra layer of excitement to the game. The atmosphere was electric as fans cheered for their national teams, with the outcome hanging in the balance throughout the contest. Venezuela took an early lead when Maikel García drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly, giving his team a 1-0 advantage. The Venezuelan squad continued to dominate the early innings, with Wilyer Abreu delivering standout performances that kept the American team on their heels. However, the United States managed to respond in the eighth inning when Bryce Harper hit a two-run home run to tie the game, showcasing his power and determination. Despite the efforts of the U.S. team, Venezuela maintained its composure. Eduardo Rodríguez, known for his sharp pitching, struck out Aaron Judge twice in the first at-bat of the finals, sending a clear message to the American hitters. The game also saw moments of tension, such as when Clayton Kershaw and Logan Webb engaged in a mid-game conversation, highlighting the camaraderie and rivalry between the players. The U.S. team struggled to find its rhythm, with their offensive woes continuing throughout the game. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s defense held strong, with key plays from the infielders preventing critical runs. The final moments of the game were tense, as both teams fought to secure a victory, but the outcome remained uncertain until the final pitch.#united_states #venezuela #wilyer_abreu #jose_altuve #maikel_garcia
Venezuela remonta y sorprende a Shohei Ohtani y a Japón, para ir a semis de Clásico Mundial Venezuela logró una histórica remontada para vencer a Japón por 8-5 en el Clásico Mundial de Béisbol y avanzar a las semifinales del torneo, el sábado 14 de marzo de 2026. El triunfo, que marcó su primer paso a la ronda de los cuatro mejores desde 2009, también aseguró su lugar en el grupo de seis naciones para el torneo olímpico de béisbol de 2028, junto con Estados Unidos y la República Dominicana. El partido fue definido por un espectacular jonrón de tres carreras de Wilyer Abreu en el sexto inning, que dio a Venezuela una ventaja de 7-5. Este fue el primer cuadrangular del torneo para Abreu, quien conectó la pelota ante el lanzador Hiromi Itoh, aprovechando una recta de cuatro costuras con cuenta de 2-1. La carrera se registró a 409 pies hacia el jardín derecho, consolidando el liderazgo de Venezuela en la parte final del encuentro. La remontada venezolana fue encabezada por Maikel García, quien abrió la remontada con un cuadrangular de dos anotaciones en el quinto acto, acercando a su equipo a 5-4. El partido se decidió en la octava entrada, cuando Ezequiel Tovar añadió un doble y aprovechó un error de Atsuki Taneichi para poner el marcador 8-5. Shohei Ohtani, el Jugador Más Valioso del Clásico Mundial de 2023, no fue suficiente para Japón, que vio interrumpida su racha de 11 victorias consecutivas en el torneo. Ohtani conectó su tercer jonrón del certamen en el primer inning, elevando un slider 2-1 de Ranger Suárez y enviando la pelota a 427 pies por el jardín central. Sin embargo, Japón no logró mantener la ventaja, ya que Ronald Acuña Jr. disparó un cuadrangular en el segundo lanzamiento de Yoshinobu Yamamoto, rompiendo el empate.#venezuela #clsico_mundial #shohei_ohtani #japon #wilyer_abreu
