As Alex Speier of the Boston Globe put it, "... in a short 60-game slate, every flaw is magnified, every small pothole feeling expansive.

Franchise right fielder Mookie Betts was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in February along with veteran left-hander David Price.

Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez is lost for the season because of COVID-19.

The Yankees are the team to beat in the division.

The Tampa Bay Rays, despite an uneven start, have the pitching and the depth to keep pace.

Most troublingly, with all of Boston's pitching woes at the MLB level, only one of its top five prospects is a pitcher (right-hander Bryan Mata at No. 4).

In February, they traded Betts and Price.

But the lack of pitching either at the big league or MiLB level is a glaring red flag.

A last-place finish less than two years after hoisting a Commissioner's Trophy would be a tough look for a proud franchise.

From Judge’s HR tear and Yelich’s slump to the Marlins’ hot start, our writer breaks down the latest MLB storylines ➡️