Off The Pike with Brian Barrett

Brian chats with Boston sports superfan Kevin Hench about the Celtics’ win over the Hornets on Tuesday night and why they look primed to make a deep playoff run (0:00). Then, they chat about the Red Sox’s terrible start to the season despite Tuesday's win over the Brewers, and Craig Breslow’s tenure as GM (17:15). They wrap up by talking about the Bruins' surprisingly good season as the playoffs approach, despite a loss on Tuesday to the Hurricanes (49:30). Brian and Jamie end with a listener call and chat about the Sox and Mike Vrabel (1:04:30). We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Brian Barrett Guest: Kevin Hench Producer: Jamie McClellan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian opens by discussing the Red Sox’s dreadful 2-7 start to the season, including a disappointing loss on Sunday with some bad pitching and defense (0:00). Then, he recaps the Celtics’ win over the Raptors on Sunday, featuring another solid game from Payton Pritchard, and the Bruins’ tough weekend, including losses to the Lightning and Flyers (21:50). Then, Brian and Jamie answer a listener email about the Red Sox’s woes (37:20).  We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Brian Barrett Producer: Jamie McClellan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian explains how the Red Sox got into such a mess to start the 2026 season and puts the Celtics' surprise season in historical context. Then, Brian chats with NFL Media’s Eric Edholm about the upcoming NFL draft, edge players the Patriots could target in the first round, A.J. Brown trade rumors, this year’s tight end class, and more (37:30). Brian and Jamie end with a listener call about the Red Sox’s poor start (1:16:30). We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Brian Barrett Guest: Eric Edholm Producer: Jamie McClellan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian breaks down the Red Sox’s bad start to the season, which has featured a feckless lineup and a disappointing pitching staff. Then, Brian chats with the Boston Herald’s Zack Cox about the Celtics, Jaylen Brown’s nagging Achilles injury, their playoff rotation, and more (25:30). Brian and Jamie end with a listener email on Roman Anthony and try to make sense of the Sox’s slow start, as well as TreVeyon Henderson’s eyebrow-raising tweet (1:11:00). We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Brian Barrett Guest: Zack Cox Producer: Jamie McClellan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian recaps with Celtics’ win over the Hornets on Sunday night, including Jayson Tatum’s best game of the season (0:00). Then, Brian chats with Sox Prospects' Ian Cundall about the Red Sox’s first series of the season, the missed opportunities and mistakes that cost them, Wilyer Abreu’s hot start, initial thoughts on the ABS challenge system, and more (16:50). Brian and Jamie end with a listener call on tanking in the NBA (1:06:45). We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Brian Barrett Guest: Ian Cundall Producer: Jamie McClellan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian breaks down the Red Sox’s Opening Day win over the Reds, including a three-hit game from Roman Anthony and another dominant start from Garrett Crochet (0:00). Then, he chats with The Ringer’s Michael Pina about the Celtics’ impressive win over the Thunder on Wednesday, how the Celtics cracked the Thunder’s stout defense, teams for the Celtics to avoid in the first round of the playoffs, and more (25:00). Then, Brian and Jamie offer up some final thoughts on Opening Day (1:22:25). We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Brian Barrett Guest: Michael Pina Producer: Jamie McClellan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian compares Jayson Tatum’s return from his Achilles injury to Kevin Durant’s and talks about how the two differed in terms of shooting trends when they came back to the court (0:00). Then, Brian chats with NESN’s Lou Merloni about where the Red Sox’s starting rotation ranks in MLB, how their defense has improved, the crowded Sox outfield, where the Sox rank in the loaded AL East, and more (15:15). Brian and Jamie end with a listener call and discuss the NBA (55:35). We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Brian Barrett Guest: Lou Merloni Producer: Jamie McClellan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian opens with the news that Marcelo Mayer will be the Red Sox’s starting second baseman and what we can expect from him and the Red Sox this season (0:00). Then, he chats with CLNS Media’s Evan Valenti about the Celtics’ loss to the Timberwolves on Sunday night, Jayson Tatum’s shot selection, how Tatum's game is still a work in progress as he returns from his Achilles injury, and more (24:00). Brian and Jamie end by chatting about March Madness and Tom Brady’s flag football debut (56:20) We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Brian Barrett Guest: Evan Valenti Producer: Jamie McClellan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian starts by comparing Brad Stevens’s tenure as top exec of the Celtics to Theo Epstein’s run with the Red Sox and discusses how they have both taken good teams to the next level (0:00). Then, he chats with CBS Sports’ Julian McWilliams about the Red Sox, Wilyer Abreu’s WBC heroics, Ranger Suárez’s status for Opening Day, the solid camps for young pitchers Connelly Early and Payton Tolle, and Roman Anthony’s greatness (21:25). Brian ends with some top memories from March Madness over the years (1:20:00). We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Brian Barrett Guest: Julian McWilliams Producer: Jamie McClellan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian opens by recapping the Celtics’ win over the Suns on Monday and what it reveals about how Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum will operate on offense when games come down to the wire (0:00). Then, he chats with The Ringer’s Tate Frazier about March Madness, their top teams, some potential upsets, sleeper teams, best bets, and more (33:00). Brian and Jamie end by discussing the relationship between St. Patrick’s Day and the Boston sports teams (1:16:15). We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Brian Barrett Guest: Tate Frazier Producer: Jamie McClellan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices