Well, things got real spicy before the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels even took the field. Just ahead of their crucial showdown, Red Sox first base coach Jose Flores got into what seems like a fiery exchange with several Angels players and coaches, right along the third base line. Both teams are not traditional rivals, but things seem to have started heading that way ahead of Wednesday’s contest at Fenway Park.

Now, according to some sources, it seems to have started when Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson had some heated words for Flores. Whatever was said didn’t sit well because soon a crowd started forming. Red Sox players also crossed to back up their coach. From casual warmup to full-on tension, things took a drastic turn. Even Boston manager Alex Cora made his way over to Anderson, maybe to cool things down. Or who knows, to get some answers.

Wouldn’t have been surprising either way. Because Cora’s not one to back down when it comes to standing up for his guys. Just last week, he came to defend his player during the Lindor-Buehler mess. NESN had initially posted a video of the incident, but they soon deleted it.

Now, as far as this latest dust-up goes, no one knows what sparked it for sure. However, insider Mike Rodriguez took to X, “According to my sources, the problem that arose during today’s practice was because, apparently, Flores, the first base coach for Boston, was stealing the signals from pitcher Tyler Anderson. During the game on Monday, Anderson allowed 5 runs. Today, when Anderson saw Flores at practice, he decided to address the situation and communicated some concerns related to these signals.” 

While no punches were thrown and the situation calmed without any ejections, the energy on the field had clearly shifted. As Anderson was later seen talking things over with Angels bench coach Alex Tamin in the outfield, it was obvious that the pre-game sparks had left their mark. Both teams seemed to channel that tension into their play. The Angels jumped out to a four-run lead in the first inning, only for the Red Sox to answer with five of their own in the bottom half.

That being said, it’s clear that both teams seem to be on edge. The Angels came into the series dragging, having lost seven of their last eight. The Red Sox are in no good shape and dropped the first two games of this season. And they’re now 2-8 in their last 10. It’s been rough for them, and they are 10 games behind the Yankees and sit fourth in the AL East. The Angels are not doing much better and are also fourth in the AL West, though they are only five games out of first at 28-32.

Is the Boston Red Sox spiraling toward a fire sale?

Now, for Boston, a bigger storm is brewing, as it’s starting to look like a doom-and-gloom season for them. They have lost 17 out of 23 and have been walked off seven times, so it’s been brutal. And now that it’s June, the pressure is cranking up. If this downward spiral continues, the front office might have no choice but to hit the panic button and start selling at the trade deadline. This would be a massive blow for a team that once had postseason hopes.

One name that’s already circulating the rumor mill is Walker Buehler. The same player who signed a one-year deal worth $21 million before the season. If the Red Sox decide to sell, ESPN’s Jeff Passan suggests that maybe the Dodgers, Buehler’s old team, would be a perfect fit. “(The Dodgers) don’t build their team for regular-season wins. They want to put together the most devastating 26-man squad for the postseason. And they saw last year what Buehler turns into in October,” said Passan.

And it does make sense. Dodgers don’t just build for the regular season; they are built for October. And they know what Buehler gets into the playoffs. Four shutout innings against the Mets and five more against the Yankees, and last season, Buehler was savage in the postseason. Sure, his regular season numbers are not great; he had a 5.38 ERA last year, and it’s sitting at 4.46 now. But the Dodgers have seen him flip the switch before.

So, if Boston keeps spiraling, then they might flip him. Do you think they will?