Cora’s comments drew attention from fans, and also analysts. In the NESN postgame show, longtime host Tom Caron and former third baseman Will Middlebrooks were both stunned.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora has been proclaiming recently that he didn’t think his team was far from putting good baseball together following a dismal stretch of games. Those days of optimism appear to be dwindling after Boston’s latest setback.