The Boston Red Sox suffered a harsh 8-1 defeat to the Houston Astros on Monday night at Daikin Park, dropping their record to 1-3 and extending their losing streak to three games since Opening Day.
Ranger Suarez had a rocky debut in a Red Sox uniform, surrendering four runs over four innings. Lance McCullers Jr. dominated for Houston, tossing seven strong innings of one-run ball while striking out nine. The Red Sox offense was ice-cold, mustering just four hits — two of them from Wilyer Abreu — and the team has now scored only 11 runs while racking up 41 strikeouts through the first four games of the season.
After the game, manager Alex Cora addressed the lineup’s early-season woes by drawing from his own playing days. When asked about the slow start, Cora delivered a straightforward, honest perspective shaped by experience.
“I think I started my career 0 for 17,” Cora said — a nine-word take that captured the moment perfectly, even if the exact number was closer to 0-for-9 before his first hit (a bunt single). The message was clear: cold streaks happen, pressure builds quickly when the hits aren’t falling, but panic is not the answer.
Cora urged his hitters to stay patient, work counts, and avoid chasing results that aren’t there yet. He highlighted players like Willson Contreras and Caleb Durbin for doing the right things at the plate despite the lack of production. The top of the order — Roman Anthony, Trevor Story, Jarren Duran, and Contreras — struggled mightily against the Astros, but Cora believes better at-bats are coming.
Suarez’s Debut Struggles Suarez ran into trouble right away, allowing three straight singles to load the bases before recording an out. He limited the early damage thanks to a Carlos Correa double play, but Yordan Alvarez crushed a two-run homer in the third and Brice Matthews went deep in the fifth. Cora saw some positives, noting Suarez’s ability to change speeds and miss bats, though his pitch count was always going to be managed this early in the year.
In relief, Johan Oviedo also had a tough outing, allowing four runs on six hits in three innings, with his fastball velocity sitting noticeably lower than last season. Jose Altuve tagged him for two solo home runs as part of Houston’s offensive outburst.
The Bright Spot: Wilyer Abreu Amid the struggles, Wilyer Abreu stood out as the lone consistent performer. He went 2-for-3 with an RBI double, improving his early-season line to 8-for-16 with two home runs and three doubles while striking out just twice in four games.
Abreu has made visible adjustments this season — shortening his swing and focusing on using the entire field instead of trying to pull everything. The early results look promising, giving the Red Sox something positive to build on in an otherwise quiet lineup.
Cora’s Long-Term View Just four games into a 162-game marathon, Cora isn’t hitting the panic button. He’s seen slow starts before and knows the offense will eventually find its rhythm. Suarez will settle into his role with the team, younger players like Durbin will get their first hits, and the early noise will fade as the season progresses.
With Abreu already showing what the lineup can look like when it clicks, Cora is confident the rest of the group will follow. The message after this third straight loss was calm, experienced, and direct — exactly what the Red Sox need right now.
