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 – A man has been arrested in connection to a bar fire at the Squealing Pig in Boston’s Mission Hill neighborhood.

Prasshida Baruwal, 23, of Everett, is accused of setting the bar on fire on Tuesday morning. He is charged with arson, breaking and entering at nighttime to commit a felony, destruction of personal property and more.

“I thought it was by accident,” says Boston neighbor Diamond Nichols. “Honestly, it does make me a little nervous.”

Witnesses watch as bar is set on fire

Police said that witnesses on the scene spotted the suspect outside of the bar, breaking glass and taking videos of Baruwal dressed in black. One witness spotted the suspect dropping what they thought was a lit napkin before the bar exploded into flames, and surveillance video confirmed the action.

The Boston Fire Department was able to control the flames, but not before the bar was severely damaged and several nearby cars were melted.

“That’s scary. That is scary,” says Cameron Kuck.

“Puts it into more perspective when it’s next door to you”

The area is full of college students living off-campus.

 “There are people walking around right next to and around the restaurant, so that is scary. Someone is doing something super illegal, very dangerous, and if someone gets hurt, that’s totally like a federal thing, a crime,” says Kuck, who goes to Berklee College of Music.

Neighbors are stunned and upset that their favorite bar is gone for the summer.

“We were just talking about crime in the city. It’s all around us but obviously puts it into more perspective when it’s next door to you,” says Northeastern college student Sydney Brikhahn

“We’re going to have to hope that something like this doesn’t happen again,” says Northeastern College student Allie Ziegler.

Police are still investigating the incident.

The Celtics are bringing back their top bench shooter for the 2024-25 season — and, they hope, beyond.

Boston on Saturday exercised the $2.1 million team option in Sam Hauser’s contract, according to multiple reports. The Celtics also reportedly plan to begin negotiating an extension with Hauser in the coming weeks.

The Boston Globe was the first to report the team’s decision, the deadline for which was Saturday afternoon.

Hauser joined the Celtics as an undrafted rookie in 2021 and developed into a core member of Boston’s rotation. The 26-year-old Virginia product appeared in 79 games this season, setting career highs in nearly every statistical category (22.0 minutes, 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists per game). His 42.4% 3-point shooting percentage ranked 11th in the NBA.

Consistency was an issue for Hauser during the Celtics’ playoff run, but he rebounded from a rough Eastern Conference finals to shoot 47.8% from three in the NBA Finals (11-for-23) and deliver a few unexpected defensive highlights against Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic.

By picking up Hauser’s option, the Celtics will return all five starters and their top three reserves (Al Horford, Payton Pritchard and Hauser) from their title-winning roster, though starting center Kristaps Porzingis is expected to miss at least the first month of the upcoming season after undergoing leg surgery this week.

Frontcourt backups Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman and Oshae Brissett will be unrestricted free agents, and Neemias Queta has a team option.

The Celtics added two new pieces through this week’s NBA draft, selecting Creighton wing Baylor Scheierman in the first round (No. 30 overall) and Gonzaga forward Anton Watson in the second (No. 54).

“Everybody on our roster, we love having here,” president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said Thursday in his post-draft news conference. “We’ll continue to work on filling out our roster for the upcoming season, but there’s no doubt that we’ll really value continuity of that.”

As for whether Boston and Hauser will reach an extension agreement, Stevens declined to discuss the forward’s contract status on Thursday but said the Celtics “want Hauser to be here for a long time.”

If Hauser does not sign a long-term deal, he would become an unrestricted free agent next offseason. The same is true for starting guard Derrick White, who is eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $127 million.