Getty Images

Through the first couple of weeks of the 2025 season, one glaring issue has defined the Red Sox: terrible defense. Boston leads Major League Baseball in errors, with 19 through 16 games. Those miscues have led to a league-high 14 unearned runs, putting added strain on both the pitching staff and the lineup.

Manager Alex Cora didn’t sugarcoat it. “We gotta clean that up,” he told the Boston Herald Friday, acknowledging the defensive shortcomings. “It’s a horrible night, we know it. It’s a horrible night in every aspect of the game.”

While most eyes were on Rafael Devers entering the season, it’s Alex Bregman — last year’s Gold Glove third baseman — who surprisingly leads the team with three errors. Kristian Campbell, a rookie second baseman, has struggled in the field, making two mistakes as he adjusts to being a regular Major Leaguer.

First baseman Triston Casas is also part of the problem, with two errors already on the board. His defensive struggles are amplified by a slow start at the plate. Through 14 games, Casas is hitting just .176 (9-for-51) with a home run, three doubles, three RBI, and a .530 OPS. The swing-and-miss is off, too — just three walks against 15 strikeouts. Some have even wondered if it’s time for centerfield prospect Roman Anthony to start taking reps at first base.

“It’s just a play that’s gotta be made,” Casas admitted when asked about the early season defensive issues. “It’s an unrealistic thing to do to point out one play in the game and say, ‘That’s why we lost.’ But that’s a pretty clear one with that specific one. It pretty much changed the course of the game for the worst. I’ve replayed it in my head so many times already.”

Recognizing the struggles, Cora has shifted Casas down to sixth in the order, a move designed to relieve pressure. It’s early, but with limited internal depth at first base, the Red Sox need Casas to stabilize — both with the glove and the bat. It’s early in the season, but it may already be too late for Boston to shed their reputation as an unreliable defensive team.

Jay Pritchard Covers the Boston Red Sox, Major League Baseball, and sports media for Heavy.com. More about Jay Pritchard