The Red Sox are climbing fast, and the latest MLB.com power rankings make that impossible to miss.
Boston landed at No. 7 in the first rankings released since the All-Star Break, a jump that fully reflects the club’s 15-game win streak. The update also arrived Monday, after the Red Sox added Curtis Mead in a trade, giving the front office move some extra weight in the eyes of MLB.com.
Boston had been sitting at 15th in the previous edition of the rankings.
“As if there were any doubt, the Curtis Mead trade is proof the win streak that got the Red Sox back in the playoff hunt is being taken seriously by the front office," MLB.com writes in the power rankings blurb for Boston. "They saw they needed some offense right now, and they traded away a legit pitching prospect to make sure they got it. But if Mead really has turned a corner, he’ll help for many years beyond just this one."
The six teams ahead of the Red Sox are the Chicago Cubs at No. 6, the New York Yankees at No. 5, the Tampa Bay Rays at No. 4, the Atlanta Braves at No. 3, the Milwaukee Brewers at No. 2 and the Los Angeles Dodgers at No. 1.
This list did not move Boston ahead of either of its division rivals, the Yankees or the Rays, unlike recent power rankings from Bleacher Report. Still, the Red Sox are packed right in the mix with both of them, and that sets up a compelling stretch run in the AL East.
For Boston, the bigger story is how quickly things have changed. Not long ago the Red Sox were out of the picture. Now they’re in the middle of the race, and their fans have every reason to enjoy the ride.
In Other News...
Red Sox May Have To Sacrifice A Familiar Name For Upgrade
The Red Sox are still looking hard at shortstop as the trade deadline approaches, and that search has naturally led to some familiar names and some expensive possibilities. Boston has been connected to Zach Neto, CJ Abrams, Jeremy Pea and Francisco Lindor as it weighs whether a move at the position could sharpen the roster for the stretch run, even if the path to doing so is not simple.
Trevor Story is part of the conversation because of both his place on the depth chart and the financial reality attached to him, since moving him would not be easy without Boston taking on salary. The clubs roster and payroll considerations could end up shaping the decision as much as the baseball fit, which is why the shortstop picture remains one of the more intriguing unresolved questions heading into the deadline. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Are Circling A Shortstop Move Fans Saw Coming
The shortstop market has been thin enough that every plausible name gets a hard look, and Boston has reportedly done more than just monitor the board. The Red Sox have inquired about Miami infielder Otto Lopez, a player who fits the kind of upgrade they could use as they try to patch an infield that has not offered enough offense.
Lopezs appeal is obvious beyond the fit. He is having a strong season, he remains under club control through 2029, and any team interested in prying him loose would likely have to pay a steep price. For Boston, that makes the pursuit both understandable and complicated, especially if the Marlins decide they are willing to listen. [Read more 🡒]
Former Red Sox Fan Favorite With Awesome Nickname Gets Another Shot
Jhostynxon Garcia is getting another look in the majors after the Pirates brought him up and put him in the lineup against the Diamondbacks. The former Red Sox outfielder has spent most of the season at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he put together a solid enough run to keep himself in the conversation, and he had already logged a brief big league stint earlier this year before getting this latest opportunity.
For Boston, Garcias path is a reminder of how quickly a familiar face can become part of a different organizations plans. He has already shown he can handle some major league pitching in limited action, and now he gets a chance to see if he can turn that into something more meaningful with Pittsburgh, with a familiar Red Sox connection waiting on the other side of the matchup. [Read more 🡒]