Mazz: Are we witnessing a Red Sox collapse?

For those of you under the age of, say, 25, we'd like to introduce you to a term far more familiar to those before you: it's called a Red Sox collapse.

If you find that term to be redundant ... well ... then you're probably over the age of 35, maybe even 40 or higher. Regardless, it's probably time to introduce the rest of you to it, even as a preemptive or preparatory measure. Prior to 2004, after all, Red Sox history was littered with such instances where the term was essentially redundant, which is to say that the words Red Sox and collapse were essentially synonymous.

And so, whether that is what happening here and now is certainly open to debate, but the truth is that we must now at least open ourselves - and your eyes - to the distinct possibility.

Losers to the nomadic, No-Land A's last night at Fenway Park by a 2-1 score, the Red Sox have now dipped to the third and final place in the American League wildcard standings with precisely 11 games remaining in the regular season. Boston's lead over the Cleveland Guardians is now a mere two games in the loss column. Less than two weeks ago - on the morning of Sept. 4, the Boston lead had been a plump SIX games. By then, of course, the Sox had already begun a nosedive in which they are now 4-7 in their last 11 games.

If someone has yet to instruct you to fasten your seatbelts and place your tray table in the upright and locked position, we now advise you to do so.

And excuse me, Mr. Flight Attendant? Where are the sick bags should we require them?

“We lose that game because I can’t do my job,” Red Sox (no?) relief pitcher Greg Weissert told reporters after inheriting a 2-1 lead from cool left-handed rookie Connelly Early in the sixth inning. "Early pitches an unbelievable game, and I go in there do that [expletive]. It sucks."

Beyond that, it hurts.

Badly.

Where does it go from here? Good question. Roughly two weeks ago, albeit for a relative instant, the Sox seemed like threats to potentially win the American League outright; now they run the risk of missing the playoffs entirely. Over the last two weeks, manager Alex Cora has - on one more than one occasion - seemingly sounded warning bells for both his players and the public. In a series finale at Arizona, Cora uncharacteristically ventured to the middle of the dugout to playfully yuck it up with coaches and players for a good portion of the game. (They were coming off a sloppy loss and won that day.) On Saturday, he suggested everyone (including his players?) stop talking about the playoffs and merely focus on winning games. (The Sox lost Saturday but won Sunday night behind ace Garrett Crochet.)

For the most part, this 2025 Red Sox season - or at least the second half - has felt like an enormous step in the right direction. Rookie outfielder Roman Anthony has has looked like a true superstar and franchise player, and many of his young teammates - ace Crochet, starter Brayan Bello, outfielder Wilyer Abreu among others - seem to have fortified their places as reliable big leaguers or more. Still, the playoffs hang in the balance. The Red Sox are 4-7 since Anthony was lost to the injured list and are still awaiting the return of the injured Abreu - tonight, perhaps? - while Cora plays musical chairs with the final two spots in his pitching rotation beyond Crochet, Bello and resurgent right-hander Lucas Giolito.

Cora, as is always the case with the manager, is also subject to scrutiny. With the right-handed Brent Rooker due up in the sixth, Cora chose to remove from the game last night amidst another sterling performance by the young left-hander, despite the fact that Early had thrown just 80 pitches. The Sox were leading 1-0 at the time.

Poof.

“It’s about the guy that is hitting,” Cora told reporters. “The game will dictate that we do. That’s a good big leaguer that hits lefties really well. The other guys have to do their job.”

They didn't.

In the last two weeks, they really haven't.

And now, as the sand of the regular season drains through the hourglass, the job is getting tougher.

And it's not quite finished.