Today’s TBNL includes a Boston legend commenting on ownership; several KBO roster moves; the NCAA Regionals conclude; and your annual reminder that the Texas Rangers are asshats.

Almost 10 years after he played his final game with the team, people still stop and listen when David Ortiz speaks about the Red Sox. A lot of weight is put behind any comments the franchise legend makes.

Ortiz hosted his annual celebrity golf tournament this weekend. Naturally, reporters asked him about the state of the current Red Sox team, but the discussion shifted to seemingly-absent-owner John Henry:

Forgive the language a moment … but, no shit, David.

He should be worried.

And John Henry should start addressing things by making himself a little more visible again.

The 76-year-old Henry first purchased the Red Sox in 2002, and for many years, his presence in and around Fenway Park was common. Henry took part in press conferences and owned up to decisions. That all stopped after the team traded Mookie Betts to Los Angeles in 2020.

Henry hasn’t appeared at a press conference since. He’s given limited interviews. He’s rarely seen at the stadium. He appears uninvolved.

Boston started the season with a 9-17 record. Ownership and the front office decided it was time to make a change, forcing Henry, team president/CEO Sam Kennedy, and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to get on a private plane to meet the team in Baltimore. Following a drubbing of the Orioles, Alex Cora and six coaches were fired upon returning to the team hotel.

(Side note: It’s been more than a month, and there has still been no word on what new role Jason Varitek was “reassigned” to.)

Entering play on Tuesday, the team sits at 25-33. Just three teams in the AL (the Royals, Tigers, and Angels) have a lower winning percentage. Boston’s 9-19 mark at home is the worst in the major leagues (by a notable margin). Many of the club’s troubles have centered on the lineup.

Boston’s offense ranks near the bottom of several key statistical categories (out of 30 teams): runs scored (231, 27th), home runs (44, 29th), walks (179, 25th), and slugging percentage (.377, 25th).

Craig Breslow spent the offseason with a “pitching and defense” focused approach towards improving the club — signing LHP Ranger Suarez and INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa, plus trading for RHP Sonny Gray, 1B Willson Contreras, and INF Caleb Durbin. The moves, as a whole, haven’t worked.

Breslow and the team’s front office can remain optimistic about the club turning things around before the trade deadline, but time is quickly running out on this group. And on Breslow. Cora’s firing in April should have been a sign to the Yale graduate: the club’s fate needs to change, or he will be fired, too.

Much of Boston’s past success can be attributed to continuity throughout the organization. From the top to the lowest minor leagues, the club’s goal was clear and consistent. These days, that doesn’t appear to be the case, and until an overhaul is done — likely replacing Breslow, then letting the new front office hire a manager of their own choosing — the club is in trouble.

June is officially Pride Month, which 29 of the 30 MLB teams will recognize throughout the month in one shape or another — Ken Shultz at OutSports has all the details, if interested.

Personally, I’ve always been something of a quiet ally. I’m in the “love is love” camp and fully support the LGBTQ community. Everyone should be free to be who they want to be. But, my support is quiet. I’m not vocal about it. Not even during Pride Month.

Still, each year I find it disappointing how one MLB team — the Texas Rangers — refuses to get on board.

MLB teams have recognized Pride Month in some form since the early 2000s. The Dodgers hosted MLB’s first “Gay and Lesbian Night” in 2000. The Cubs hosted an “Out at Wrigley” event the next year. Since 2021, virtually every club in the league has dedicated at least one June game to this community.

Except the Rangers. Each year, stories will run about why, with some variation of the same quote from Rangers management: “We want to make everyone feel welcome rather than hosting group-specific nights.” It’s nonsense.

Politics is often the most convenient explanation for the Rangers' decision not to participate, particularly when their in-state neighbors in Houston do. Houston is more diverse and tends to vote Democrat. Arlington, which is outside of Dallas, leans more conservative and Republican.

The excuse is hypocritical when you consider that the other pro sports teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (the Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars, and even FC Dallas) have all held Pride Night events.

Just a week ago, both the Doosan Bears and Kia Tigers made roster moves centered on the “Asian quota” spot on their respective rosters. Doosan released right-hander Ichiro Tamura, while Kia did the same with infielder Jarryd Dale. Both teams announced new signings just a few days later to fill these roster spots.

The Bears announced that they have signed left-hander Takuto Takada. The 23-year-old has pitched in parts of six seasons in the NPB’s minor leagues, four with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars and the last two with the unaffiliated Oisix Niigata Albirex BC. In 10 appearances this season, Takada has a 1.75 ERA and 1.038 WHIP in 61.2 IP.

Per the Yonhap News Agency’s Jee-ho Yoo, Takada will earn $70,000 (USD) for the remainder of the season.

The Tigers announced on Instagram that they have signed right-hander Keisho Shirakawa. The 24-year-old posted a 5.65 ERA in 57.1 IP during the 2024 KBO season with the SSG Landers and the Bears, but Baseball Reference doesn’t have any other history for him.

Meanwhile, after right-hander Nathan Wiles went down with an injury in mid-April (a partially torn labrum in his shoulder), the Kiwoom Heroes brought back old friend Kenny Rosenberg to temporarily replace him on the roster (Kiwoom still believes Wiles can return this season, perhaps in late July). Rosenberg made 13 starts for the Heroes last season, with a 3.23 ERA, 25 BB, and 80 SO in 75.1 IP.

Rosenberg has pitched well in three appearances this year, with a 3.18 ERA, 4 BB, and 14 SO in 11.1 IP. The Heroes have extended their contract with the righty for an additional six weeks.

The KBO Foreign Player Tracker has been updated.

…. and then there were just 16.

With the NCAA Regionals being completed over the weekend, the Field of 64 is now down to just 16 remaining teams (and their Super Regionals matchup):

A handful of teams — Alabama, Miss. State, Cal Poly, Ole Miss, Kansas, Little Rock, Oregon, UNC, Texas, and Georgia — swept their way through the double-elimination Regionals without losing a single game.

Cal Poly, Kansas, Milwaukee, and Little Rock are each advancing to Super Regionals for the first time in program history.

The Los Angeles Regional likely brought the most surprise and drama thanks to the Saint Mary’s College Gaels. Saint Mary’s (located in Moraga, CA, which is East of Oakland) finished the season with a 36-27 record and an RPI of 116, earning their way into the Regionals by winning the West Coast Conference Tournament. Nobody expected the Gaels to give No. 1-ranked UCLA trouble in their opening game, but Saint Mary’s prevailed with a surprising 3-2 victory.

The loss pushed UCLA into an elimination game against Virginia Tech, which came down to the last at-bats to keep the Bruins alive. Saint Mary’s lost to Cal Poly, setting the two schools up for a second matchup to see who would play Cal Poly for the right to advance to Supers. The Gaels won a second time against the Bruins, 6-5 (in 10 innings). UCLA lost just six games all season before Regionals.

Coastal Carolina, which lost in the College World Series Finals a year ago to LSU, was eliminated from the Tallahassee Regional after losing their first two games. Not one of the eight schools to reach Omaha in 2025 — LSU, Louisville, Murray State, and Arizona all missed the postseason; CCU, Arkansas, UCLA, and Oregon State were eliminated in Regionals — is still alive heading into Super Regionals.

The best-of-three Super Regionals will be played this weekend (June 5-8).