But amidst the team's struggles, which include a current four-game losing streak, the Sox did see some progress from Daniel Bard in just his second big league start.
That's certainly a welcomed sight, as the Red Sox will be in much better shape going forward if they're able to consistently get strong outings from the back end of the rotation.
Although Bard received the loss on Monday, he was still strong, allowing just one earned run on four hits in 6 2/3 innings. Unfortunately for the big righty, he was outmatched by James Shields, and the Sox fell 1-0 to the Rays in the Patriots' Day matinee at Fenway.
Bard walked seven batters in that outing, including the winning run, so it wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. But after his rocky first start, it was definitely nice to see him settle in a bit. And for that, Bard earns this week's Amica Pitcher of the Week honors.
The Sox need to right the ship, and right it fast. As usual, that starts with pitching. Perhaps a few more big starts from Bard can go a long way toward turning things around.