The Boston Red Sox’ season faces an inflection point this weekend when they head into New York for a four-game series against the Yankees, having lost their last three games and eight of their last 10. Meanwhile, the Yankees, who appeared to be on the verge of total collapse since the end of May, have turned their fortunes around, reeling off five straight wins.
The inverted script has elevated the Yankees to 1 1/2 games ahead of arch-rival Boston in the American League Wild Card race. The Red Sox sit just one-half game up on the Seattle Mariners who hold the third Wild Card spot, and just 2 1/2 ahead of the Kansas City Royals.
4-Game Series in New York Could Seal Red Sox Fate
The weekend series in the Bronx could end up determining whether 2025 is the first playoff season for the Red Sox since 2021, or just another year of mediocrity in which they tease their fans with a few hot streaks but ultimately finish out of the money.
In their eight losses over that 12-game span, the Red Sox have scored just 25 runs, or 3.13 per game. The Boston offense clearly needs to wake up if the team wants to hit the reset button on the season.
And with that certainly in mind, according to a report by Tommy Cassell â a beat writer covering the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox for Metro West Sports â the Red Sox have called up their No. 3-ranked prospect who brings with him not only his 17 Triple-A home runs and .932 OPS but also perhaps the best nickname in the game.
Due to the strange and seemingly jumbled spelling of his given name, 22-year-old Jhostynxon Garcia has picked up the moniker “The Password.”
‘Password’ Joins Crowded Boston Outfield
More importantly, the San Fernando de Apure, Venezuela, native signed by the Red Sox in 2019 for a relatively modest $350,000 bonus brings a power bat from the right side to a lineup heavy with lefty-swingers such as rookie sensation Roman Anthony, 2024 Gold Glove right fielder Wilyer Abreu, last year’s All-Star Game MVP Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida, and newly acquired first baseman Nathaniel Lowe.
All of those hitters except for Lowe play outfield positions. While Abreu was placed on the injured list Thursday with a calf strain, once he returns â and Rob Refsnyder also comes off the IL â the Red Sox will have six outfielders competing for playing time at four positions (including designated hitter). Someone will need to go.
Fan Favorite Could Be Seeing Final Days in Boston
According to SB Nation Red Sox columnist Matthew Gross, the odd man out appears to be the fan favorite Duran.
“Which of those six guys least deserves to be in the lineup against a left-handed starting pitcher? Without a doubt, the answer is Jarren Duran. Heâs batting just .207 with a .587 OPS against lefties this season, and his career numbers arenât much better with a .232 batting average and .617 OPS,” Gross wrote on Thursday.
“When Garcia comes up, the Sox are going to need to have an uncomfortable conversation with Duran about his playing time on the days they face left-handed starters,” the SB Nation scribe continued. “He simply shouldnât be starting those games.”
Garcia Hits Both Righties and Lefties
The problem for Duran is that, at least at the minor league level Garcia has shown himself to be proficient against right-handed hurlers as well as southpaws with an .863 OPS in 2025 and 17 of his 20 home runs between Worcester and Double-A Portland coming off righties.
If “The Password” can continue his success against righties as well as lefties (.964 OPS in the minors this year) at the big league level, the Red Sox could choose not to exercise their $8 million option for next season on Duran, who was due $3.75 million this year.
Or they could simply trade him.
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