‘The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox’ Review: Digging Deep into the 162

Boston is used to winning. In the last quarter of a century, Boston’s big four sports teams — the Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox, and Bruins — have collectively made this town the nation’s winningest sports city, and by a lot. Winning creates expectations. So, what happens when you begin to do something that’s anathema to New Englanders: lose?

Netflix’s docuseries “The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox” digs into the question of what losing can do to a team and a city, and along the way, it probes greater issues relating to America’s pastime, from player mental health to the toll of playing 162 games to fan relations. Although the show is visually plain, its dedication to unearthing all of the aspects that make baseball so great and simultaneously frustrating is sure to make this series an instant classic for both sports fans and those hoping to learn why they should turn on a Red Sox game in the future.

Since winning the World Series in 2018, the Red Sox have not been doing so great. In their last three seasons, they have struggled to even hit the benchmark of .500 throughout the season. While some may think it strange that Netflix decided to follow the team at such a disappointing time, statistically, this dedication to working through a losing streak is actually the strength of the entire series. Through its focus on trainers, prospects, reporters, Green Monster scoreboard operators, and even those who supply the dirt that is rubbed on baseballs, the series demonstrates that even a slightly below-average team requires immense work from hundreds of employees. This deep dive into the underside of baseball will not only serve to interest pre-existing fanatics but will also shed light on what makes baseball so different from other sports to non-superfans.

Beyond showing the people behind the game, the show also narrows in on the insane amount of dedication that the players and head coaching staff must give to a season. Without a shadow of a doubt, the team’s manager, Alex Cora, steals the spotlight in this regard. Through plenty of interviews and a close following of Cora’s day-to-day operations, the show demonstrates that Cora is a one-of-a-kind manager who somehow salvages a rookie-dominated team into a somewhat hopeful group of prospects. The show’s focus on Cora’s hopes and disappointments shows that even managers go through the emotional rollercoaster of a season, which humanizes the coaching staff. Beyond that, we also narrow in on the storylines of a few key players — Triston Casas, Brayan Bello, Jarren Duran, and Cam Booser — who had both struggles and success last season. The show never fails to let us see the athletes when they fail (which, to be honest, was a lot last year). In doing so, the show lets us see the dedication that goes into trying again, 161 times, throughout a baseball season.

The documentary doesn’t just push the boundaries of sports film with its focus on those who can’t quite dominate the game; it also challenges ideas surrounding how we should talk about the mental health of athletes, a paradigm shift that will have a legacy that will long outlast the runtime of the show. Episode 4, “Still Alive,” is largely dedicated to the mental health struggles that All-Star player Jarren Duran has dealt with throughout his career. Although nearly a third of professional athletes report struggling with mental health concerns, the stigma around asking for help often leads to players battling their demons without a support system. In this intimate episode, Netflix and Duran do their part to stop this by being entirely transparent about Duran’s mental health problems, with Duran straightforwardly describing his suicide attempt in 2022 following a streak of dismal athletic performances. In an official statement, Duran opened up about why he shared his story: “If my story can help even one person, then it was worth telling. It’s that ability to help, to reach those who feel alone, that motivated me to tell my story.” This emotional episode not only helps viewers of the show connect with one of the Red Sox’s star players but will also serve to help destigmatize asking for help amongst professional athletes.

While the storytelling vision of the show is nearly flawless, visually, the documentary is nothing special. There are many typical talking head shots of interviewees and slow-mo footage of significant games, but the camerawork is never creative when shooting the games. Although some may think that this gives a personal feeling to the documentary, it also just makes some shots feel static and boring. Additionally, graphics are used sparingly and simply, normally only to identify a speaker or location or to show the current standing of the team in the AL East. The lack of an attempt to tell the team’s story visually as well as verbally and thematically doesn’t quite do the creative take on a baseball season justice.

Although “The Clubhouse” is mostly focused on what goes into losing, it’s not entirely pessimistic. In the end, it also focuses on the prospects of the team and how the drive of the roster will eventually make Boston a winning baseball town again. While Boston awaits this future expectantly, the Netflix documentary is sure to help them understand why winning isn’t as easy as our favorite athletes make it seem. Hopefully, this will give fans a new perspective — even if that desire to win, and win a lot, will never go away.

—Staff writer Hannah E. Gadway can be reached at hannah.gadway@thecrimson.com.