Red Sox sound like they’re absolutely miserable

The Red Sox have reached the team meeting stage of a bad season. Before losing a second straight game to the Yankees on Saturday night — and fifth straight overall — the Red Sox held a team meeting at their hotel in New York to try to turn things around. It hasn’t paid immediate dividends, …

The Red Sox have reached the team meeting stage of a bad season.

Before losing a second straight game to the Yankees on Saturday night — and fifth straight overall — the Red Sox held a team meeting at their hotel in New York to try to turn things around.

It hasn’t paid immediate dividends, as they lost Saturday and again Sunday to extend their overall losing streak to seven straight games, but they want to change their mindset moving forward.

“We’re really just trying to make the best of a unique situation with the season,” veteran outfielder Kevin Pillar told reporters Sunday night. “I know things aren’t going really well, we still have a ton of games left, and we got to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and come out every day.

“This season is going to happen whether we want it to happen or not. We’ve got 40-some-odd games. A lot can change.”

The Red Sox entered Monday 6-16. Their pitching has struggled, their defense has often been lacking and some of their biggest bats have started out cold.

All while trying to play in the midst of a pandemic.

“We got to witness a couple of teams that are obviously playing well and have beat us,” Pillar said. “But you look across the [other] dugout and the guys seem excited, they’re pumped up, they’re high-fiving and they’re making it as normal as possible.

“I think that was the message we were trying to get across was, ‘let’s make this as normal as possible. Stop feeling bad for ourselves because we have to wear masks. These are just things that have to be done. It’s 2020, get over it, and let’s go out and play and try to have fun with it.’”

The COVID-19 restrictions are even making face-to-face interactions or team meetings more challenging. The Red Sox had to hold theirs at an outdoor space at their hotel, sitting at least six feet apart and wearing masks, per MassLive.

“Anytime you grab the team together, and I think if guys are speaking what’s on their mind, I think it’s good to get them together to do that,” manager Ron Roenicke said. “Sometimes, right away it comes out where it really makes a difference. I’d say most of the time it probably doesn’t. I’d say most of the time it’s just — something clicks in the game that gives them energy and gives them a different feeling that you’re not just losing.

“You’re out there and you get a break and you win a game and then all of the sudden, things click a little more. I think anytime we get together and talk, I think that’s all good.”