According to ESPN, Boston has emerged as a leading destination in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. No deal is on the table (that we know of), but the mere possibility might raise a few concerns.
Boston, MA
At midseason, the Boston Red Sox are offering something different this year — hope
BOSTON — The Red Sox ended the season’s first half with a thud.
All isn’t lost, of course. Boston shouldn’t be judged solely on one rancid sample against the San Diego Padres.
A perfect June weather night at Fenway Park was about the only highlight after the top of the fifth inning on Friday. San Diego unleashed a stunning barrage to key a 9-2 victory. Each of the first nine Padres who came to the plate reached safely and scored.
There have been more good evenings than bad for the Red Sox to this point. They sat at 43-38 entering Saturday’s second half — a far cry from any last-place predictions in the American League East. Boston is also within striking distance of a wildcard berth, entering the day just a half game behind the Kansas City Royals for the third spot.
“We’re in the mix to make it to the playoffs,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We have a good baseball team that can do a lot of good things.
“There’s other stuff where we have to get better, but at the same time I’m very pleased with the way we went about our business in the first part of the season and the way some guys progressed.”
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One of the standouts from the last time Boston reached the postseason was in the building. Xander Bogaerts was honored with a video tribute after the first inning and treated to a warm standing ovation. The former Red Sox shortstop stepped out of the visiting dugout and tipped his cap, currently an injured member of the Padres offering thanks to his former home.
Bogaerts delivered one of the last truly worthwhile swings this ballpark has seen in recent years. His two-run homer against Gerrit Cole in the 2021 wildcard matchup sent an electric shock through the grandstands. The Red Sox dismissed the New York Yankees, blitzed the Tampa Bay Rays and had the Houston Astros on the ropes before falling in the A.L. Championship Series.
Since then? Disappointment. Underperformance on the field and a lack of boldness in the front office. John Henry’s organizational pivot to less aggressiveness in free agency and former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom’s inability to chart a definitive course at the last two trade deadlines has created festering frustration here.
How will Craig Breslow fare a month from now? The crowd on this particular night was short of a sellout, and more than a few San Diego fans were able to purchase their tickets of choice in the field boxes. It’s a scene that’s repeated itself when the Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies or any other big-market franchise has visited town, and it needs to be stopped.
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That only happens by creating a real reason to believe in the home team. Per Cot’s Contracts, Breslow has more than $19 million in available Competitive Balance Tax space before he incurs any penalties. Boston should have the finances and prospect capital to buy if it makes the long-overdue choice to do so.
“We’ve shown we can play really good baseball,” Red Sox catcher Connor Wong said. “We’ve got to keep defending and keep pushing.
“It’s a long season. Anything can happen.”
Masataka Yoshida and Rob Refsnyder are the only current position players seeing regular time who are over 30 years old. A tight race into September and October could be invaluable for further developing younger options like Wong, Jarren Duran, David Hamilton, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and others. Refusing to support them and selling off pieces — with Cora already in the last year of his contract, no less — would send a rather different, more discouraging message.
Nick Pivetta cruised through his first four innings before getting crunched in the fifth. His earned-run average is up to 4.52, and that’s all too common in a rotation that’s taking on a bit of water. Brayan Bello has rocketed to a 5.55 ERA in what to this point has been a disappointing 2024 season and Kutter Crawford seems to have hit a wall — a 5.97 ERA in his last six starts and a 4.54 ERA through his last 12.
That’s obviously a primary area the Red Sox should look to reinforce. A right-handed bat to offer some balance in the lineup wouldn’t hurt either. As for shedding veteran pieces like Pivetta, Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin and Tyler O’Neill, consider this: you’re not losing them for “nothing” in free agency if they can somehow help you reestablish credibility as a franchise genuinely trying to play deep into the fall every year.
“I do believe — I truly believe — there are going to be meaningful games here in September,” Cora said.
Let’s hope. We’ve waited long enough. One bad night shouldn’t spoil the hope of what could be to come over the next month — and, maybe, the next four.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On X: @BillKoch
Boston, MA
MBTA, state transportation chief apologizes for ‘insensitive’ employee hair-pulling incident
Gov. Maura Healey’s Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said he has apologized “fully” to the subordinate T employee he’s been accused of pulling the hair of at a work dinner two years ago.
Eng has come under fire for the late 2024 incident this week and admits that it was a “mistake” that has forced him to reflect upon his actions.
“My goal is always to lead with respect and inclusivity,” Eng said in a statement. “I know that this was a mistake, and I own that. I have apologized to this employee fully and have reflected on my actions.
“I am committed to learning from this experience and upholding the highest standards of professionalism in all my interactions as secretary and general manager,” Eng added.
The MBTA said the incident, first reported by Contrarian Boston, occurred in November 2024 at a restaurant where T employees and their spouses were having a team dinner.
WCVB-TV reported that the MBTA employee has told people the interaction with Eng was not welcome and highly inappropriate.
The station described Eng as being accused of committing the hair-pulling faux pas while saying good-bye to the T employee after a work function at a brewery.
The MBTA confirmed that an “insensitive” interaction occurred between Eng and an employee, but downplayed the incident as occurring in the context of a larger conversation about hair from earlier in the evening that included multiple people.
Eng was poking fun at his own baldness when the alleged interaction occurred, according to the MBTA.
“The MBTA is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive workplace environment,” MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said in a statement. “Leadership plays a critical role in that. Two years ago, General Manager Eng had an insensitive interaction with one of his direct reports. He subsequently apologized directly to this employee.
“Any claims of harassment, discrimination or retaliatory behavior are completely without merit,” Pesaturo added.
Sources have told WCVB-TV that the T employee is involved in negotiations to leave their job with the agency.
Eng is the state’s top transportation official. Healey appointed him as general manager of the MBTA in 2023, and interim transportation secretary in late 2025.
He was paid $509,114 last year, which includes a $30,000 retention payment he is eligible for each year he remains with the T, per his contract and state payroll records. He does not get additional pay for working dual roles in Massachusetts, but continues to take in a roughly $185,000 pension from New York.
Eng, former president of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Rail Road, came out of retirement to work for the MBTA, but remains retired with the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System, which is paying him a gross monthly pension of $15,357.39, according to the New York State Comptroller’s office.
Eng, who stepped down from his MTA post in February 2022, retired from New York’s ERS the following month, March 31, 2022, the comptroller’s office said. His monthly pension equates to $184,288 in annual compensation, which he can continue to collect while working at the MBTA, where he is one of the highest-paid transit leaders in the country.
Eng has been credited by state officials for helping to get the MBTA back on track following a federal probe for a number of safety lapses that culminated with a fatality, when a 39-year-old man was dragged to death by a Red Line train in April 2022.
He is under contract with the T through April 10, 2028, with an option for a one-year extension. His base pay for 2026 is $484,206, per state payroll records.
By comparison, Eng was paid $285,254 in his final year leading the Long Island Rail Road, per the New York State Comptroller’s office.
Boston is allowing outdoor drinking in two neighborhoods this summer while the city welcomes a wave of international visitors during the World Cup, Mayor Michelle Wu announced.
The social districts opened Friday and will run through July 31.
Boston public drinking zones
Patrons will be allowed to consume alcoholic beverages outdoors within designated areas at Union and Marshall streets in Downtown Boston’s Block Historic District, as well as on Temple Place in Downtown Crossing.
According to the city, the initiative along with the decision to extend last call until 3 a.m. for the World Cup “is creating vibrancy for patrons and expanding opportunities for Boston businesses during one of the region’s busiest summers in recent years.”
“As Boston welcomes people from around the world to gather and enjoy our city this summer, these new social districts will create even more opportunities to build community and have fun responsibly,” Wu said in a statement. “These districts help us open our streets in a safe environment for residents and visitors to enjoy themselves, ‘sip and stroll,’ and make lasting memories in our beautiful city.”
Last week, Gov. Maura Healey signed a new law that allowed for cities and towns to create designated areas for public drinking.
How drinking zones work
In order to participate, businesses within the designated zones must file a one-day amendment application with the Boston Licensing Board that states they wish to be included in the districts.
Businesses cannot sell alcohol for public consumption until they receive approval from the Licensing Board.
Hours for the Union-Marshall Street Social District will be 9 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. The Temple Place Social District will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.
Drinks sold for public consumption will be in clear plastic containers with a sticker or other label that shows where they were sold. Businesses cannot sell more than one 16-ounce alcoholic beverage for public consumption per customer in a single transaction.
Outside alcohol cannot be brought into businesses.
“We are grateful for this opportunity to activate our downtown, support businesses, and create a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere in two of Boston’s entertainment districts,” Corean Reynolds, director of nightlife economy, said in a statement. “Both residents and tourists can benefit from these Social Districts. After the summer, we look forward to continuing our work creating a nightlife infrastructure that works for everyone.”
Concern numero uno is obvious. Giannis is one of the handful of players capable of altering the championship picture by himself. Pairing him with Jayson Tatum would create an impressive combination of size, athleticism, versatility, and star power. The question is whether Brad Stevens and the Celtics can actually pull it off without creating a new set of problems for themselves.
Boston’s path to Giannis is narrower than it first appears. The Celtics would almost certainly need to move Jaylen Brown, either directly to Milwaukee or through a third team. Reports indicate Brown has little interest in joining the Bucks (in paraphrase: “Milwaukee?! Yuck!”), which complicates matters further. We start moving from a blockbuster trade to a three-team puzzle involving contracts, draft compensation, and competing agendas.
Even if Boston finds a way through that maze, there’s no guarantee the resulting team will succeed.
Giannis may be a better asset than Brown, but championships are not won by comparing players one-for-one. They’re won by building complete teams (case in point: YOUR WORLD CHAMPION NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS ).
Brown averaged more than 28 points per game last season while defending multiple positions. He can create his own offense, punish smaller defenders, and absorb primary scoring responsibilities when Tatum is unavailable (as Tatum was for most of last season, recovering from a torn Achilles). Replacing him with Giannis raises Boston’s ceiling, perhaps, but also changes the structure of the roster.
The Celtics have spent years building an ecosystem around two star wings. Remove one and the supporting cast suddenly becomes more important, which means Stevens would have many more decisions to make before the start of training camp.
What catches me up is, if the Bucks believed that Giannis has more great years ahead of him, would they so quickly offload him to a conference rival? Might he actually be a distressed asset?
Giannis will turn 32 this season. He has generally been durable over his career but has dealt with increasing lower-body issues (especially calves and knees) in recent years, leading to more missed time. To wit:
• 2022–23: 63 GP / 19 missed
• 2023–24: 73 GP / 9 missed
• 2024–25: 67 GP / 15 missed
• 2025–26: 36 GP / 46 missed
Wouldn’t that just be the worst if the Celts parted with Brown to get him, and then Giannis missed extended time due to injury? Like, the absolute worst? (Insert diabolical laughter.)
A healthy Tatum-Giannis pairing would present unique challenges for New York. The Knicks would need to defend relentless downhill pressure while also containing one of the league’s best bucket creators. But, given their depth, New York may be better equipped than most teams to handle it.
So if the Celtics’ pursuit of Giannis causes an initial flutter of worry, you can let that just drift on by. The scenario only noses toward Red Alert if Boston nabs him while somehow also acquiring a guard who makes up for what they’d lose with Brown’s departure.
But wait! This just in: Chris Haynes has pushed back on the idea that a Giannis Antetokounmpo-to-Boston deal is close. He writes that Boston does not appear to be a promising destination and suggested the situation could extend into July. Additionally, Marc Stein reported that the Celtics are frustrated by speculation involving Jaylen Brown, while Brian Windhorst said Brown has not been formally offered in a trade. So, to quote the great William Goldman (also a Knicks fan), “Nobody knows anything.”
It’s worth noting that the Miami Heat are also reportedly in the mix. We’ve heard that the lack of income tax is alluring to the Greek Freak. Plus Florida offers sunny, warm weather, which is not a defining feature of Wisconsin. In the end, though, joining Boston would allow Giannis to keep all his favorite green-themed items in his wardrobe, and shouldn’t looking good be a priority, too?
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