The storm clouds over Boston just got darker. The Boston Red Sox, once brimming with promise, are now teetering on the edge of mediocrity. Even a series win against the Mets couldn’t hide the cracks. Wednesday’s loss wasn’t just another defeat—it felt like the unraveling of a team that’s lost its way. Now, with the heat rising and patience tested, the man at the top has finally spoken, and the message is loud: this isn’t what the Red Sox signed up for.

Seems like no one is more frustrated than the President himself. When your team is underperforming—mediocre at best—fans expect some responsibility. And that’s exactly what we got when the Red Sox president, Sam Kennedy, came clean about the state of the team on The Greg Hill Show on Thursday morning.

“I think the narrative is more accurate to say there’s probably a lot of frustration right now.” Well, you can’t expect fans to be content with the disappointing results. Kennedy seems to know that too: “I don’t think anybody, including our fan base, thinks this is a .500 team. It’s not acceptable and not what we anticipated coming out of Fort Myers.” His frustration and disappointment—any fan can relate to it.

After the spring training at Fort Myers, expectations were through the roof for the team, but it failed to materialize into numbers at the table. And, now Kennedy’s words reveal that those at the top surely have a grip on reality. How bad is the team’s reality though?

After the 5-1 loss to the Mets on Wednesday night, with an embarrassing record of 25-26 the Red Sox are third in the AL East table. Let’s be honest, at this point, even a wild card seems like a long shot. They have three teams ahead of them and are 2½ games behind in the chase for the final spot. How do they come out of this ugly slump?

The only answer is that they find their consistency. The roster is full of problems. Manager Alex Cora has been trying out some position changes for the team. After Triston Casas’ injury, there have been some major changes in the positions. Rookie Kristian Campbell is being considered to fill the injured star’s position. But Rafael Devers’ situation and the management’s approach to it have been particularly disappointing. That move has drawn sharp criticism toward the manager.

Alex Cora under fire for mishandling Rafael Devers’ role

After giving up his place for Alex Bregman when he joined the team in a three-year, $120 million contract, Devers tried his hand at DH. But guess what? He is now being asked to play at first base, giving up his DH position as a result. And he’s not open to the idea.

Several former Red Sox veterans are openly criticizing Alex Cora, on how the Devers situation has been handled. One of the key figures who came out to support Devers was none other than Pedro Martinez. “Devers is the kind of guy who leads by example, and he doesn’t need anyone to tell him how to do things. When it comes to first base, and approaching him to be a first baseman, I think it was just mishandled,” Pedro said, analyzing the issue. The legend is not wrong, it sure has been mishandled, considering how good Devers has been even while adjusting to changes.

Devers is hitting at .289 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs so far this season. He is one of those players who knows exactly what the game needs and how to deliver accordingly. It hasn’t been very long since the All-Star adjusted well to his role as designated hitter. He has found his rhythm after a slow start, finally. How fair is it to ask him to change positions?

With Kristian Campbell tested at 1B, the team may go ahead with that. But at the end of the day, every player has to do what’s best for the team. That’s how baseball goes. Let’s just hope this works out for the Red Sox, because they need a flip—desperately. They have a perfect chance for it, as they are getting ready to face the Orioles this week.