With eight games left in the regular season, the Red Sox are close enough to taste a playoff berth. They could lock one up as soon as Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays, and Friday’s win over the team with the best record in the American League moved Boston another step in that direction.
That’s the encouraging part. The harder part is figuring out whether the roster will actually be whole enough to make this thing matter.
Boston sits in a crowded AL picture with the Rays and Yankees among the top contenders. New York’s situation took a hit on Friday when Aaron Judge landed on the Injured List, which only adds to the uncertainty around the top of the league. But for the Red Sox, the biggest issue is less about who they might face and more about who they’ll have available.
Health looks like the one flaw that could stop this group.
There’s been some good news. Garrett Crochet and Tanner Houck are both trending in the right direction, and Boston could still get them into the mix during this playoff push. But the injury updates have come with a familiar catch: one step forward, another concern right behind it.
Willson Contreras was hit on the hand by a pitch earlier in the week, and his status remains unsettled. The positive sign is that his X-rays came back negative, so no further tests are expected. Even so, he still hasn’t returned to the lineup, and he has not been ruled out for the weekend series.
Then there’s Eli White, who is not expected back because of a torn ligament in his foot.
The Red Sox are also still waiting on center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela. He told Tom Caron of NESN that he expected to be activated during the Rays series, but he was in Worcester on Saturday and has not made it to Tampa Bay yet. He’s trending up, but he’s another name Boston is watching closely.
The talent is there for the Red Sox to go through anyone in the American League and even make a World Series run. The question is whether they can get there at full speed before the postseason starts.
The American League Wild Card series begins Sep. 29, which gives Boston 10 days to sort through the injuries and get its pieces aligned. If the Red Sox can get closer to full strength, they’ll have a real shot. If they limp into October still dealing with these lingering issues, the road gets a lot tougher.
In Other News...
Red Sox Are One Win Away But This Finish Changed The Mood
Roman Anthony gave Boston an immediate jolt at Tropicana Field, leading off with a home run and driving in three runs as the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 to move to 84-70. Ranger Surez set the tone on the mound with 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball, and the win snapped Tampa Bays six-game winning streak while keeping Boston in the thick of its push.
The finish, though, did not come without a little late-game stress. Erik Miller earned the save, but the ninth inning turned messy enough to leave the Red Sox with a less comfortable feeling than the final score suggested, a reminder that even when the result is right, the path there can still shape the mood. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Suddenly Have A Rafaela Decision Looming For October
Ceddanne Rafaela has been out since suffering a right quadriceps strain on Sept. 2, and the Red Sox are still waiting for a clearer answer on when he can rejoin the major league roster. He has been working his way back with Triple-A Worcester and has already resumed hitting practice, which at least gives Boston some optimism that his recovery is moving in the right direction.
The bigger question now is whether there is enough time left to get him ready for October. Rafaela may need rehab games before he is an option again, leaving the Red Sox with a late-arriving roster decision as they sort out how much of a postseason role he can realistically handle. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Suddenly Need A Willson Contreras Answer Fast
Willson Contreras gave the Red Sox a jolt of concern when he was hit by a pitch and hurt his left hand against the Texas Rangers, because his bat has mattered enough this season that any absence would be felt right away. The early signs were at least somewhat encouraging, with reports saying he had better range of motion the next day and was hoping the hand is not fractured.
Even so, Boston still does not have a clean answer on when he might be back, and that uncertainty comes with a bigger backdrop. The Red Sox are staring at an upcoming series against the Yankees, and whether Contreras can be available for that one could shape how they handle the next few days. [Read more 🡒]