The Red Sox have done more than keep winning. They’ve started sending a message the rest of baseball can’t ignore.
Boston just went on the road and swept the league-leading, reigning two-time champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who had only been swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks from Jul. 10-12 this season. That run pushed the Red Sox to 14-0 against division-leading teams since Jun. 25, a stretch that also includes the New York Yankees, who were in first place at the time, the Chicago White Sox, and the Tampa Bay Rays.
At this point, the conversation around Boston has to change. No matter what happens before Monday’s trade deadline, and even if the Red Sox should still make another move, they’ve put together a run that looks a lot more like a contender than a team riding a nice wave.
Boston is 28-5 since Jun. 25 and has won nine of its last 10 series. The record now sits at 60-51, leaving the Red Sox just 2.5 games behind the Yankees and five games behind the Rays in the AL East. They’re also firmly in the second AL Wild Card spot.
That kind of sample is big enough to matter. This doesn’t feel like a short burst anymore; it feels like a team that has found something real.
The pitching has carried its weight all season, even with Garrett Crochet out for most of the year. And since the All-Star break, the offense has been one of the better ones in the league, ranking fifth with 89 runs, ninth with 139 hits, second with 26 home runs, and seventh with a .771 OPS.
There’s still a long way to go, and the season can shift quickly. But Boston keeps stacking proof that it belongs in the serious part of the playoff conversation. At this point, the Red Sox have earned that much.
In Other News...
Red Sox Eye One More Deadline Move To Fix A Lingering Problem
The Red Sox have already done business with the Nationals twice in the past nine months, landing pitcher Jake Bennett and infielder Curtis Mead, but the work in Washington may not be finished. Mead is currently out with a broken wrist, and Boston still appears to be searching for a cleaner answer on the infield as the trade deadline approaches.
According to reports, the club has continued to monitor Washingtons infield market while looking for another move that would address the lingering issue. The interest points toward a player who has been productive this season, and the price could require Boston to part with a notable major league piece or a pitcher from the current roster mix. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Wild Card Push Suddenly Hinges On Two Unsettled Developments
Roman Anthony is back to batting as he continues to work his way back from a torn ligament in his ring finger, a small but meaningful step for a Red Sox club trying to keep its Wild Card hopes alive while managing a few moving parts. At the same time, Willson Contreras is rejoining the lineup after clearing concussion protocol, giving Boston another healthy bat at a moment when every at-bat seems to carry extra weight in the standings race.
The bigger organizational questions are still simmering behind the scenes. Tanner Houcks recovery from UCL surgery has reached the point where he is throwing in bullpen sessions, and the possibility of a late-season return adds another layer to Bostons pitching picture. On the roster front, the Red Sox have also had interest in Luis Garca Jr., but the Yankees are close to getting there first, which would force Boston to keep looking for help as the deadline pressure and the playoff chase continue to overlap. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Face One Huge Deadline Decision On A Star Catcher
The Red Sox are staring at a late-breaking catcher decision with real consequences, as Boston and Baltimore have already lined up the framework of a potential deal involving Adley Rutschman. Prospects have been identified, medical information has been exchanged and the sides have gotten far enough along that the only remaining hurdle is Bostons final approval.
Rutschmans status adds another layer to the pause, since he is dealing with an injury that has kept him out. For a Red Sox club weighing both the short-term fit and the long-term cost, that makes this less about simply adding a name and more about deciding whether the timing, health and price all line up well enough to move forward. [Read more 🡒]