The Red Sox have flipped the script in a hurry.
Not long ago, Boston looked like a team headed toward selling at the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Now, after ripping off a 12-2 stretch since June 25, the conversation around this club looks completely different. Friday night’s win over Nolan McLean and the New York Mets only added to the surge, and it came even though the Red Sox didn’t land in New York until just a few hours before first pitch.
That latest victory pushed Boston to a seven-game winning streak, the longest active run in baseball. It also left the Red Sox just 1 1/2 games out of a playoff spot, with the kind of momentum that has changed the mood around the team in a matter of days.
Boston still has work to do before the All-Star break, but the standings tell a much more encouraging story than they did a few weeks ago. The Red Sox are tied for third place in the American League East with the Toronto Blue Jays, and both clubs sit 11 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays. In the Wild Card race, Boston is also 1 1/2 games back and tied with Toronto and the Houston Astros.
The early part of the season was rough enough that Boston spent months near the bottom of the league, but the American League has been weak enough to keep the Red Sox within reach. This recent run has put them right back into the mix.
And help may still be coming. Roman Anthony, Garrett Crochet, Trevor Story, Connelly Early, Marcelo Mayer, and Ranger Suárez are all on the Injured List, along with others, and that means Boston could look even stronger once bodies start returning. Early and Suárez appear to be short-term absences, while the rest remain uncertain.
On the mound, Sonny Gray started Friday’s game against McLean. Freddy Peralta is set to go for the Mets on Saturday, while Boston has not announced its starter.
Suárez would have been in line for that assignment, but he’s now on the IL. Brayan Bello has been under consideration, and MLB reporter Héctor Gómez reported that lefty Eduardo Rivera will get the call, though the club has not confirmed it.
Payton Tolle is scheduled to finish out the first half for Boston on Sunday.
The Red Sox still have two games left before the break, but the bigger story is clear: this season is suddenly alive again.
In Other News...
Red Sox Face Rare Roster Squeeze In Crucial Sweep Chance
The Red Sox head into their game against the Mets with an unusual roster crunch, carrying only 12 available position players as they try to keep a sweep chance alive. Boston had to make a series of moves to get there, including optioning infielder Brett Harris, while Willson Contreras is unavailable because he is serving a suspension.
The squeeze leaves the club leaning heavily on a thin bench and on rookie left-hander Eduardo Rivera, who is set for his first major league start after already making one scoreless relief appearance. Rivera has handled Triple-A well this season, and Boston will be asking him to help steady a game that already comes with some roster stress attached. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Fans Wont Like This Veteran Bullpen Decision
Danny Coulombe gave the Red Sox a useful lift in Saturdays win over the Mets, working the final two innings and keeping the game scoreless while lowering his ERA to 4.50. For a club that has leaned on its bullpen all season, the left-hander has been a steady enough veteran presence to matter, especially with his contract carrying performance bonuses tied to appearances and time on the active roster.
The part that makes this one tricky is the timing. Coulombe is right on the edge of a bonus threshold, and Boston now has a short window to decide whether to keep him in the mix, try to move him, or expose him to waivers. If he clears, his service time gives him a path to choose free agency, which leaves the Red Sox weighing a familiar roster decision against a pitcher who just helped them finish off a game. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Just Sent A Troubling Message About Brayan Bello
The Red Sox have already been forced to dip into their pitching depth, calling up Patrick Sandoval and Eduardo Rivera after injuries hit Connelly Early and Ranger Suarez. Even with those openings, Brayan Bello is still sitting in Triple-A, a notable sign for a pitcher who was expected to be part of the clubs long-term rotation plans. Bostons recent moves have made the situation harder to ignore, especially with the staff under strain and the team still looking for answers behind its healthy starters.
Bellos absence from the major league roster points to how far things have slipped this season, and it leaves his role with the organization looking less certain by the day. If he does not get back on track soon, the Red Sox may eventually have to decide whether he still fits into their plans at all, or whether his name becomes part of a larger conversation about possible roster turnover. [Read more 🡒]