It took a second for John Henry to decipher the loud chant ringing through Fenway Park.
“Oh, sell the team,” Henry said to someone off screen before slyly smiling during the Red Sox’s loss to the Brewers on April 6 that dropped Boston to 2-8.
Those chants have become more and more prevalent in recent years with the Red Sox failing to uphold their championship standards and fans accusing Henry of being aloof.
The remarks don’t fluster the 76-year-old founder of sports holding conglomerate Fenway Sports Group, especially compared to what he’s experienced in his other duties as Liverpool’s owner.
“Fans get frustrated,” Henry told the Sports Business Journal in a recent profile. “The Sox looked terrible for (their) first 25 games. I remember a plane flying overhead when we (Liverpool) were beating Manchester United 7-0 that read ‘FSG OUT!’”
“It doesn’t mean you ignore them, it means you work harder— you don’t settle for mediocrity. You have to win.”
Henry has enjoyed great success while owning the Red Sox, winning four World Series — the first of which was the famous ending of the Curse of the Bambino — from 2004-18.
Since that 2018 ring, though, the Red Sox have been more aligned with the worst teams in the sport than on equal footing with the likes of the Yankees and Dodgers.
Boston has missed the playoffs five times and won a postseason series once, advancing to the ALCS in 2021 before falling to the Astros.
Last year’s season ended with a wild-card loss to the rival Yankees.
Many have questioned Henry’s operational philosophy during this down stretch, which includes trading away stars Mookie Betts and Rafael Devers.
Big-market teams like the Red Sox should be keeping elite talent, yet Boston has not held onto key players and operated more like a small-market franchise.
The Red Sox’s payroll has not been in line with the Dodgers, Yankees and Mets, leading some to wonder if Henry cares more about his soccer team and other business interests.
All that pent-up anger leads to “Sell the team” chants being serenaded on Henry at Fenway Park, and plenty of fans note he is not a camera-facing owner.
This year’s team isn’t helping the cause with the third-worst record in the AL at 14-21, which has Boston in last place in the AL East.
Boston is already without ace Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony left Monday’s win over the Tigers with a wrist injury, although X-rays came back negative.
