For a team that was spinning its wheels after a brutal road trip, this was not just a win — it was a course correction. After averaging just 3.11 runs per game with a .188 batting average in the nine games after Rafael Devers’ trade, the Red Sox finally broke out in a thunderous 11-2 blowout against the Nationals. And standing at the center of it all was Alex Cora, who did not need numbers to know things were shifting.

At Nationals Park, we saw the revamped Red Sox as Trevor Story homered four hits, and Lucas Giolito pitched into the eighth inning. Further, Story added three singles, drove in four runs, and scored three for Boston. It was their third win in four games. Even Jarren Duran had 2 hits and three RBIs. Now that’s something.

“We’re in a good spot,” the manager said after the game. “Offensively, we’re doing a good job.” That was not just a throwaway comment. It came after a string of strategic transformations by him and the hitting coach Pete Fatse—transformations that were not made lightly. The decision to move from larger group hitting meetings to customized one-on-one coaching was not related to optics. It was related to accountability. “When you sit with the hitting coach and they ask you about the pitcher, you better know,” Cora said. The message was clear: comfort is fine; however, outcomes come from focus, and the video room upgrades and extra prep time reflected that urgency.

However, the reboot was not just related to meetings. It can be identified from the lineup, too. Rookies like Roman Anthony reacted with timely hits and enhanced approaches, while the veteran core found their groove again. And the offense has not looked sluggish—it has looked recalibrated. As the manager said when highlighting a tough current stretch: “You have to do everything possible to score three or four runs… Now we’re getting into a stretch that’s conducive to offense.”

And it is not just related to scoring runs—it is related to how they are scoring them. With more disciplined at-bats, aggressive baserunning, and interaction across the board, the Red Sox look to be buying into the vision. Alex Cora’s trust in stars like Lucas Giolito, who did not want to come out of the Nationals game, also speaks volumes. Giolito was up against the team that drafted him in 2012 for the first time, and he allowed a run on four hits in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked three in his first Nationals Park appearance since his rookie season in 2016.

While the blowout win and offensive adjustments brought much-needed relief, the team’s resurgence story still looks incomplete, largely because one vital star remains sidelined. However, that could soon transform.

Alex Cora drops honest verdict as Red Sox await Bregman’s game-transforming return

When the Red Sox inked Alex Bregman to a $120 million deal in February, the expectation was not just production—it was leadership. The former Astros star arrived with a championship pedigree, a fiery presence, and a bat that still packs MVP-caliber pop. Through 51 games before a quad strain shelved the star in late May, he was providing on all fronts—hitting .299 with a .938 OPS, 11 homers and 35 RBIs. However, Bregman’s injury could not have come at a worse time for the team desperately trying to stay afloat in a crowded AL playoff race.

Now, as whispers of a possible trade deadline departure pick up steam, Alex Cora is thinking of a distinctive kind of narrative. When asked about Alex Bregman’s possible return before the All-Star break, the manager simply reacted: “I hope so.” Such three words carry weight, spoken not just as coach-speak, but also as a signal. The manager knows his team’s ceiling rises effectively with Bregman back in the mix. Beyond data, the star provides team clarity, postseason experience, and a sense of urgency that younger stars need. With the team sitting 44–45, urgency is exactly what the Red Sox need heading into a pivotal stretch.

The Red Sox are far from a finished product; however, signs of life are finally showing. With the team’s offense identifying rhythm and Alex Cora steering with urgency, the return of Bregman could be the final spark the team needs.

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