Kiner-Falefa, Red Sox react to cryptic comments about Fenway

Veteran Red Sox outfielder Isiah Keener-Faleeva raised some eyebrows late Tuesday night with his comments about the reason for Boston’s horrific 9-20 record at Fenway Park.

Besides Boston’s continued offensive struggles at home, Kenner Faleeva noted after Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to Baltimore that the Red Sox have been hampered at times by the many other distractions that come with playing at Fenway.

“I feel like on the road we are a very cohesive team,” Keener Faleeva said. “We come home and there are a lot of people. It’s different. It’s just a different vibe at home. We have to figure out a way to make it as small as it is on the road.​

“I feel like home, seeing a lot of people we don’t know…around this area. When we’re on the road, we’re a tight-knit group and we’ve become a really close team. Yeah, we’ve got to find a way to bring that back home.”

Kiner-Falefa’s vague comments raised questions about what seemed to throw Boston off its game at Fenway — whether that was an increase in media presence, pressure from the Fenway crowd, more staff, or other factors.

On Wednesday, Kiner-Falefa and Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy attempted to reconsider and add context to the ambiguous player suspension.

“He’s not wrong,” Tracy said. “And what he’s saying – there’s a lot going on here. Like, there’s more media here, there’s people in the field, there’s rehab here, there’s more staff here, and that’s just part of it. … You win four out of five [games]And people start talking about it less, so it comes with it.

“It’s Boston, it’s a big market. There’s a lot more going on here than on the road. Maybe that’s the case in a lot of places, or maybe more so here. But yeah, we’ve got to get rid of that problem. I think winning solves a lot of it.”

Speaking to reporters at Boston FC, Kenner Faleeva continued to keep his comments vague regarding what has plagued this team on a field they have historically dominated.

Just a little bit of everything. At home, it’s just that [a] big market” Keener Faleeva said, per MassLive’s Sean McAdam. “This is what you dream about, [but] There’s a lot going on. On the road, there is only our small group. It’s part of playing in a big market. This is what I signed up for.

“This is what a lot of us dream about. To be able to wear this jersey, it means the world to us. Playing at Fenway, it’s like a golden ticket. To come here and not play our best, or not win, it’s frustrating. As an organization, we look at everything. We have to figure it out as a group.”

Despite Boston’s poor performance this season at home, they have posted a respectable 16-14 record on the road so far in 2026.

As such, Tracy doesn’t believe the Red Sox need to change their approach and routine before the game in hopes of getting out of this extended stretch at Fenway.

“No — because we’re 16-14 on the road, we do exactly the same thing, we prepare exactly the same way,” Tracy said when asked if Boston plans to make any changes to their preparation. “You have to be really careful in this game [not] Over-correct things you don’t need. ​

“If you’re doing the same things on the road that you’re doing here, and you’re playing pretty good baseball — and to be fair, we’re not playing terrible baseball here. We have to win, though. We know that. But overcorrecting and starting to change a bunch of things that may or may not be the problem is not the answer. The answer is a good string of wins here.”

Connor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.