One thing about the Red Sox so far this season is that 16.55% of the runs they have scored have been unearned, which is slightly more than twice the MLB rate, 7.33%. When one uses pythagenpat (supposedly more accurate than the straight pythagorean method of estimating a team's performance based on runs scored and allowed), the projection is currently 68.7 wins. If one eliminates unearned runs, scored and allowed, the projection drops to 62.6 wins.
Also, in ten out of the Red Sox's 32 games this season, they have scored three or fewer runs. They are 1-9 in those games while their opponents are 2-7 in similar games. From 2010 through 2017, home teams scoring 0 to 3 runs had an overall winning percentage of .3518 and visiting teams, .2250, or .2830 combined.
If Red Sox pitchers keep up their current rate of allowing home runs, the club's all-time record for a season will be challenged. Two of their Gold Glove winning outfielders look like they may not repeat. The club is basically 20% of the way through the regular season and the most wins they have from a starter is two.
Is this club as bad as it has been looking? No. Will this club transform itself into a replica of last year's club at the flip of a switch? No, but the longer it takes to straighten things out, the lower its expediencies will be. It looks like an opportunity for the front office to throw in the towel and hope some of the highly-salaried players opt out and they can start a rebuild (or trade some of them before the season ends). Betts is a problem. Can the club afford to give him what he wants? If they blow up the team to free money, will he still want to stay here? You have a club with two catchers (one who can hit a little and the other who has a reputation for handling pitchers); one first baseman with more home runs than singles and another who doesn't look like he belongs in the majors; a plethora of second basemen (all of which, except the one who probably should retire, mostly utility men; an okay shortstop, who's bat makes up for his average fielding; a left fielder who can't quite turn the page to be an all-star (and who they probably won't spend a lot of money to re-sign down the road); a center fielder who doesn't look like he belongs in the majors this year; a star right fielder who wants to be the highest paid player in the game; a designated hitter who is very good but who can opt out; five starting pitchers who have combined for five victories so far this season; and an interesting looking bullpen mix. In other words, a team I think should seriously be considered in a state for a rebuild.