The Red Sox have stayed in the fight, but the margin for error has gotten a lot thinner. Boston rode a scorching run for more than a month, then ran into a rough patch that began with the Athletics and included a 2-7 stretch over the final two games against Oakland and the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Even after that dip, the Red Sox still sit in the second American League Wild Card spot.
Now the question is which players can keep that position from slipping away. A few regulars have cooled off after that red-hot stretch, and others still haven’t fully bounced back from injuries. For Boston, the final push is going to come down to a handful of key names.
Ranger Suarez is at the top of that list. Boston’s major offseason addition was a difference-maker through the first half, finishing June with a sub-3.00 ERA and earning an All-Star nod.
But his season changed when he was pulled early in his first start of July because of a left adductor strain and groin tightness. Since returning, he hasn’t quite found that same level.
In five starts back, he has gone five innings only twice, and the Red Sox need more length from him. If Boston is going to protect its bullpen and stay on track in the Wild Card race, Suarez has to be closer to the version that anchored the rotation before the injury.
Andruw Monasterio has become another important piece, even with Trevor Story trending toward a return after beginning a rehab assignment. After Boston dealt Marcelo Mayer at the trade deadline, Story looks like the likely shortstop once he’s ready, which leaves Monasterio’s role in flux.
His defense at short has been rough - he’s eight outs below average - but the bat has held up. Since the start of June, Monasterio has hit .273 with a .792 OPS, plus 19 extra-base hits and 27 RBI.
Whether he keeps playing regularly in a platoon setup or shifts into a bench role, Boston needs that offense to keep showing up.
Then there’s Brayan Bello, who has become more valuable as the rotation starts to wobble. Jake Bennett has taken a real step back, and Patrick Sandoval had a rough outing against the Pirates.
With Suarez also still working through his own issues, Bello has emerged as a key long-relief arm out of the bullpen. He has helped keep the Red Sox in games with bulk outings, and that workload has become a lifeline.
If he starts to wear down or lose effectiveness, Boston’s path through the final stretch gets a lot tougher.
In Other News...
Roman Anthony Is Giving The Red Sox What They Needed To See
Roman Anthonys rehab assignment with the Portland Sea Dogs has given the Red Sox exactly the kind of encouraging update they were hoping for after his right wrist injury. He has looked sharp at the plate, picking up multiple hits, drawing walks and even leaving the yard, a strong sign that his swing is moving the way the club wants to see as he works back into game shape.
Anthonys week in Portland also came with a lighter moment, as he crossed paths with competitive eater Joey Chestnut at a Sea Dogs promotional event. The performance is the more meaningful part for Boston, though, and while the team has liked what it has seen so far, it still has not announced when Anthony will be back on the major league roster. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Waiting On Curtis Mead Decision That Could Affect More Than Him
Curtis Meads first game with the Red Sox ended almost as quickly as it began, with the infielder leaving after being hit by a pitch and later diagnosed with a fractured wrist. Since then, Boston has been waiting on the next step in his recovery, and that wait is about to get a little more telling with a scan scheduled to check how the injury is healing.
Meads timetable matters beyond his own return window because the Red Sox are also tracking the comebacks of other injured players, which could force some tricky roster decisions. If the scan shows enough progress for Mead to have a chance to get back during the regular season, Boston may have to sort through a crowded picture at just the wrong time. [Read more 🡒]
Rafael Devers Finally Addressed How His Red Sox Exit Changed Him
Rafael Devers is still only months removed from the kind of Red Sox ending that lingered long after the news cycle moved on. Boston chose to move on from its third baseman after a stretch of tension and frustration had made the relationship harder to salvage, and the breakup became one of the defining stories of the season for a club that has spent plenty of time trying to steady itself.
In a recent interview, Devers addressed the aftermath in a way he had not before, saying the experience forced him to mature and take something from it. For the Red Sox, that makes the exit more than just a roster decision, because it also closes the book on a player who seems to view the separation as part of his growth, even as the details of what changed behind the scenes continue to hang over the story. [Read more 🡒]