To be honest, the team has just been an enigma so far.
Starting pitching has been awful, but they've gotten some good performances lately. Hitting has been good, but has gotten cold at times.
It's just that when they're hitting well and scoring runs, the pitching has collapsed. When they get good performances, the offense goes cold. They're losing 10-8 games and 1-0 games. But their pythag is right as it should be, so I don't know.
Thusfar the biggest offender is the starting rotation, by far. I'll give them a month or so to settle in. Sale looks possibly hurt, but there's no excuse for Eovaldi, Porcello, and Price not to get their shit together eventually. E-Rod is what he is.
Bottom of the order has looked underwhelming so far. If Pedroia can actually stay on the field and give them a half-decent OBP, it'd make a big difference. But JBJ/Vazquez are question marks. I don't see Rusney Castillo replacing Jackie, that makes no sense.
Biggest question mark for Cora is the catcher position. Swihart's been on a tear, but is a defensive liability. Vazquez is slightly above-average defensively and, aside from a career year in 2017, has never been a good hitter. The complicating factor in all of this is the fact that Sandy Leon was the best game-caller of the bunch, and he extensively worked with Sale and Porcello. If the starting pitching remains as bad as it's been, I wonder if they call him up and make a change.