What went wrong for the 2026 Red Sox? And where do they go from here?

Vibes, grit, momentum, pitching and defense go only so far. The same goes for the jolt of a new skipper and coaching staff. Putting runs on the board makes this dumb sport go 'round. And so, the club that allowed the third-fewest runs per game in MLB this season is, for the second consecutive autumn, headed home without playing a home game.

Their defeat in wild-card Game 2 on Wednesday concluded at exactly 11:14 p.m. ET on Sept. 30. Maybe in the pre-pitch-clock era, they might have made it to October. Instead, it was a relatively swift, 2-hour, 59-minute end to an unforgettable but ultimately disappointing Red Sox season.

Because while the journey was exhilarating, this fun yet flawed club terminated at a very predictable destination — one almost entirely devoid of runs.