The Boston Red Sox have managed a dismal 22 runs across their last 12 home games. However, the drama off the field may be drawing even more attention. NBC analyst Michael Holley accused the Red Sox of lying about Roman Anthony‘s injury timeline. That didn’t sit well with Jarren Duran, and he fired back at him online. This, in turn, prompted a response from former Red Sox, Mo Vaughn, as he turned on the struggling outfielder.

“Not that long ago, Michael Holley was on TV, and he was criticizing the organization for not being totally honest with the Roman Anthony situation. Duran responds to it on social media, he puts a post out there with Michael Holley calls him a clown…,” Vaughn said via WEEI radio. “You should be hitting the batting cage, figuring out your swing, and trying not to bring any heat to yourself.”

The drama unfolded after Anthony injured his wrist. The 2025 hero has been on the sidelines since May 5. However, the club initially labeled him as day-to-day. That did not sit well with Holley, and he called the franchise out for misleading the fans.

“I understand why all teams do it, but let’s just be honest. All teams lie. They lie about injuries, they just do,” Holley said. “So when the Red Sox did it, like, why are we doing this? Why are you playing games with us? This is an unnecessary lie. We know you’re lying. Stop it. ‘He’s day-to-day.’ No, he’s not!”

The frustrated outburst was understandable. It’s already been more than 10 days since Anthony got injured. As per Holley, why would the Red Sox not keep him in the IL and put him in the rehab before returning? For the Red Sox, their poor offense could be a reason. Boston is currently ranked 28th in terms of total runs scored (166) and 22nd in terms of average (.234).

The team would have planned to activate Anthony once he gets fit. However, Holley questioned whether Anthony was even productive before the injury. Anthony was hitting .229 and scored just 1 homer before his injury, a stark contrast to his 2025 stats, when he batted .295. The only good news was Anthony is about to return.

“We’ll re-evaluate tomorrow, a full treatment day, and we’re hopeful he picks up a bat on Monday and starts swinging. That all depends on how he feels tomorrow,” interim manager Chad Tracy said.

The issue blew up after Duran took to social media to hit back at Holley.

“They let people like this on NBC Sports,” Duran shared Holley’s video with a clown and laughing emojis.

Holley is a renowned name in the Boston sports community. Since 1997, he has been working with the Boston Globe and with NBC Sports. Duran’s jibe backfired, and he had to delete his Instagram following the huge backlash.

Vaughn wonders how Duran could try to defend the organization when he himself is struggling. Duran is currently hitting .176, and his OPS stands at a mere .534. In the third game against the Phillies, he couldn’t manage a hit from his 5 at-bats. So, as per Vaughn, more than calling out Holley for criticising the Red Sox, Duran should get back to the batting cage and improve his hitting.

The two have not yet exchanged public remarks since Vaughn’s radio appearance. Until the lineup wakes up, Boston’s pitching remains the only positive talking point.

The Red Sox’s pitching is good enough to win

The Red Sox’s pitching is standing on the opposite pole to their offense. While their offense is not even in the top-20 ranking, Boston’s pitching is ranked 8th in terms of ERA (3.71).

Garret Crochet is sidelined with an injury, but the remaining rotation has stepped up. Ranger Suarez is doing wonders, holding a 2.44 ERA with 40 SOs till now. Against the Phillies, Suarez went scoreless till 5.1 innings. He left, keeping the score at zero, and the Red Sox bullpen held the Phillies until the seventh.

Moreover, Suarez, Brayan Bello, Connelly Early, Sonny Gray, and Payton Tolle have a combined 1.25 ERA in their last 10 outings. In 57 innings pitched, the group has given up eight earned runs, while punching out 57 batters. That sums up their dominance. Gray was especially dominant on Wednesday. He just returned from the IL and pitched six innings with just one run and six SOs.

Hence, the Red Sox’s pitching staff is doing its job, and it’s only their offense that is keeping the team at the bottom. ‘If the batters could channel their social media energy into on-field performance, the team could still make a mark.