The Boston Red Sox are sitting at a terrible 25-33 record. They are already 12 games out of first place. Fans at Fenway Park are loudly booing, begging the owners to fix the mess or sell the team. Usually, the front office stays quiet when things get this bad. However, this time around, it seems like all the cries of the fans are causing a panic behind closed doors.

According to Boston legend David Ortiz, who spoke privately with principal owner John Henry, the highest levels of management are deeply worried.

“He knows the direction of this team, and he’s worried about the team’s situation more than what people think he is… I sat down to talk to John, and he wants to figure it out,” Ortiz revealed.

There is a good reason for John Henry to be worried. Boston’s offense is showing no signs of improving. They have scored just 231 runs in 58 games with a .696 OPS. The problems really started after Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow traded star hitter Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants last June.

Boston entered the offseason talking about adding more power, and fans expected big signings. But the Red Sox let names like Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso, and Alex Bregman slip past them. And after they messed up in adding an effective power bat, they tried to add more power to their pitching.

They added Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez, while Willson Contreras also joined the group, but the results have not matched expectations. With injuries and inconsistency from Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer, and a veteran like Trevor Story struggling at the plate, hitting just .206 with a .547 OPS and three home runs this season, the offense has never looked in rhythm.

The bad start to the season also seems to have caused friction in the front office. Theo Epstein, who returned to the ownership group as a senior advisor in early 2024, is reportedly very unhappy. Sources say that Epstein is disappointed by the “intense analytical direction” under Craig Breslow.

Epstein built championship teams in both Boston and Chicago and is viewed as someone who always balanced analytics with scouting and clubhouse feedback. And that balance is now part of the discussion again as the Red Sox continue to spiral out of control. One former scout even described his approach as someone who “listened to people,” not just numbers. But that is not how Craig Breslow has built the team.

Now the situation has reached a point where every layer of the organization is under review, from analytics-driven decisions to leadership direction.

John Henry, who has been largely quiet in public, is now someone whom Ortiz describes as “worried” and actively trying to find solutions to get the team back on track. As the losses continue and the offense struggles to find any answers, the Red Sox search not just for wins, but for a clearer identity.

To look in the right direction, the Red Sox are trying to add a right-handed bat to the offense.

The Red Sox are reportedly looking for more offensive power

With the Red Sox offense not doing well, the team is not on the lookout for some offensive power. Boston really needs a strong right-handed hitter for the middle of their lineup.

Ketel Marte stands as the primary target for them. Marte has an average of .262 with 9 home runs and .771 OPS in 2026. He reached a career high in 2024 with 36 home runs and 95 RBIs.

With 3 All-Star selections and 2 Silver Sluggers, Marte could be the perfect power bat that Boston needs. But the problem is that he has a 6-year, $116.5 million deal until 2030. Arizona will demand a lot of top young players in return. Because of this high price, Boston is looking at cheaper backup plans.

Secondary options have names like CJ Abrams and Curtis Mead, who are cheaper and controllable alternatives.

Abrams is going to be a long-shot trade target for the Red Sox. Abrams signed a 1-year deal with the Nationals, so the chances of them letting him go are very low. But with how his season is going, his free agency is going to have a lot of teams looking for him. With the Red Sox not wanting to spend too much, they might not have a good time if they go after Abrams.

The other option is of Curtis Mead. Mead has an average of .242 with 8 home runs and 25 RBIs this season. He remains under team control until arbitration eligibility in 2028. He is a cheaper option with an upside compared to elite trade targets available. The front office keeps monitoring names for additional depth.

But if the deals don’t come through, the Red Sox might have to start worrying about how they are going to handle the season without a dependable offense.