The Boston Red Sox were stumbling through the season, lifeless at the plate and searching for answers. Then came the coaching shakeup. Now? They're on fire.

Since interim manager Chad Tracy took the reins, the Sox have gone 7-4, including their first sweep of the season—a three-game takedown of the Detroit Tigers. But the real story isn't just the wins; it's how they're winning. The offense has come roaring back to life, and the catalyst may be the change at hitting coach.

Out went Peter Fatse, who had been the hitting coach since 2022. Under his watch, the Red Sox posted a middling .254/.321/.416/.738 slash line—a far cry from the dynasty-level production fans had grown used to from 2004 through 2021. Fatse's tenure included just one playoff appearance, a Wild Card series loss to the New York Yankees. And this season? The offense hit rock bottom, ranking in the bottom four of the league in OPS, RBI, slugging, home runs, and runs scored.

Enter Nelson Paulino, previously the hitting coach for Boston's High-A affiliate, the Greenville Drive. Since Paulino took over, the bats have woken up. In just 10 games, the Red Sox have scored 37 runs. Their team batting average has climbed to .247 (12th in MLB), their on-base percentage to .330 (8th), and their slugging percentage to .362 (23rd).

That slugging number might raise an eyebrow, but the advanced stats tell a more promising story. Boston's expected slugging percentage (xSLG) sits at .427, which ranks right in the middle of the league. Their expected batting average (xAVG) is .264—fourth-best in all of baseball. In other words, the Sox are making hard contact; the results just haven't caught up yet.

The Red Sox just ran through a Tigers team with a top-10 pitching staff. Now comes the real test: a division showdown at home against the Tampa Bay Rays, whose pitching is even better. If Boston's offense keeps trending this way, they might just prove that the coaching change was exactly what the doctor ordered.