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Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced sweeping lineup changes for Saturday’s game facing Tarik Skubal.

The Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-3 on Sunday afternoon at Camden Yards. It was their second consecutive victory and moved them to 11-17 on the season. Chad Tracy managed his first game for Boston after being promoted from Triple-A Worcester.

The players responded with energy. They doused Tracy with beer after he secured his first win.

But the celebration carried weight that went beyond one win in late April.

Crochet Addresses the Firings

Saturday night, the Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora and six members of his coaching staff. The decision came without warning to most of the clubhouse. Jason Varitek, the game-planning and run prevention coach, was among those let go.

After the news broke, Garrett Crochet was asked about the firings. His response cut straight to what many players were feeling.

“We’ve been playing terrible, and it kind of feels like those guys paid the cost of our own crime,” Crochet said.

The accountability in that statement was immediate and unflinching. Crochet did not deflect responsibility. The Red Sox have underperformed expectations through the first month, and Crochet placed the blame squarely on himself and his teammates rather than on the coaches who were dismissed.

BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 14: Pitcher Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox is congratulated in the dugout after the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on September 14, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Red Sox Players Rally Around Tracy

The Red Sox held a brief meeting before Sunday’s game with organizational leadership. Players could not ask questions during the session. Several expressed confusion and disappointment afterward.

Trevor Story said the explanation was not adequate. Garrett Whitlock described himself as shocked. Roman Anthony said the news caught him off guard.

Despite the confusion, players supported Tracy. Anthony praised his tenure at Worcester and expressed confidence in his leadership. Story welcomed Tracy while lamenting the circumstances that led to his promotion.

GettyBALTIMORE, MD – APRIL 26: Interim Manager Chad Tracy of the Boston Red Sox, left and Interim Third Base Coach Chad Epperson #81 look out over the field before their game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Early Delivers in Start

Connelly Early gave the Red Sox exactly what they needed. Despite giving up 2 solo homers, Early held Baltimore to those two runs over 6⅔ innings.

Willson Contreras hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie. Ceddanne Rafaela and Marcelo Mayer added RBI hits in the sixth.

The Red Sox stole four bases, more than they had attempted in any previous game this season. Tracy emphasized aggressiveness before the game, and the team delivered.

The win improved Boston’s record to 11-17. There is significant ground to make up. The Red Sox head to Toronto on Monday to face the Blue Jays.

GettyBALTIMORE, MD – APRIL 26: Connelly Early #71 of the Boston Red Sox pitches in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Final Word for the Red Sox

Crochet did not sugarcoat what he believes happened. For him, the coaching staff paid for the players’ failures.

The Red Sox won on Sunday. That mattered, especially after the shock of the previous 24 hours. But Boston is still six games under .500, with a long season and plenty of questions ahead. A win to help steady the room.

The response has to continue.