When the dust settled at Fenway Park and the Pirates walked away with a 4-2 victory, Red Sox Nation wasn’t just disappointed—they were downright furious. What began as a masterclass effort from rookies Payton Tolle and Roman Anthony suddenly turned into a late-game collapse. Aftermath? A collective voice from Beantown straightaway asking to cut ties with their $44M arm.

The arm in question? Jordan Hicks, who entered the game in the eighth inning and allowed a go-ahead run on a squeeze play, gave the Pirates a 4–2 lead in his 0.1 inning.

When the Red Sox updated their final score on X, “FINAL: Pirates 4, #RedSox 2”—the comments section turned into a digital melee. Fans were quite clear about how upset they were with Hicks, whose bad play late in the game had cost the Red Sox dearly.

The night started off well. Tolle was amazing in his first five innings, showing off the kind of “electric” stuff that got everyone talking. He delivered a stellar debut: 5 1/3 innings, 3 hits allowed, 2 earned runs, and 8 Ks. Anthony, on the other hand, hit a 408-foot home run against Skenes, giving the Red Sox a crucial lead. But just when momentum was theirs, Alex Cora’s bullpen calls unraveled the night.

Jordan Hicks, who was traded from the Giants trade involving Rafael Devers in June 2025, and is on a $44 million contract, has a record of 6.41 ERA in 66 innings, showing persistent command troubles. And those same troubles were visible against the Pirates.

That wasn’t Alex Cora’s only questionable call of the night. In the sixth inning, he called Greg Weissert, who gave up three runs on two doubles in 0.2 innings. Cora’s decision to use Weissert and subsequently Hicks in high-pressure situations ended the Red Sox’s momentum. Due to that decision, not only did the team lose the game, but Roman Anthony’s great night was also ruined.

Alex Cora might say, “It was a great night for us…It s—-d that we didn’t win, but the overall picture, that was a step forward for the organization.” However, the Red Sox fans aren’t letting it go that easily.

The Digital Roar to Dump the $44M Anchor Now

Fans’ remarks on social media made it evident that they were at their wits’ end, and the frustration reached a boiling point. The first round of criticism was very specific. “Jordan Hicks helps the other team win more than you 😭.” This comment highlighted how Hicks has become more beneficial to opposing teams than to his own. Well, WHIP of 1.59 and only 57 Ks aren’t  game-winning numbers.

Another cutting jab came from a different fan. “Not gonna try to overreact but one thing I will say tho is. I have enough of Jordan Hicks. He’s actually not that good at all omg.” Hicks hasn’t been able to put up good numbers since he arrived at Boston in June. He pitched only 1.1 innings in June, with a 6.75 ERA and a 2.25 WHIP. In July, he pitched 6.1 innings with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.89 WHIP, which was a little better. But in August, he pitched almost 10 innings and had a 7.20 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP.

The frustration wasn’t just limited to Hicks. “Wong, Hicks, and Weissert off the team.” The pitching struggle was there but what about hitting? Connor Wong went 0-for-4 with no hits in four at-bats. He has struggled to show quality at-bats, with a .189 batting average, zero home runs, six RBIs, and an OPS of .484 in 143 at-bats this season.

The next comment was a direct dig at Cora’s decision. “This loss is on Cora! Threw the white flag pitching hicks and weisert ! Not pitch Running Hamilton And letting Wong hit.” The Red Sox were leading 2–0 when manager Cora called on the bullpen, thanks to Tolle’s scoreless innings. However, Greg Weissert entered the game shortly after and gave up two consecutive doubles, which tied the game and gave the Pirates the lead. Hicks’ pitching didn’t help either.

Some fans still have optimism. “Come on RedSox, you need to win home games #RedSox” showed that some still thought this three-game series could be saved. Fans thought Boston was getting back on track after sweeping Baltimore and winning the series against New York 3-1.

So, for Cora, the next two games will be a big test. Can he change his late-game strategy, or will the same bullpen decisions keep ruining games that he could win?