All season lengthy it’s felt just like the Red Sox are strolling a tightrope. As accidents have piled up there’s been a way amongst parts of the fanbase that doom is lurking simply across the nook.
And but, right here they’re, nonetheless within the hunt previous the season’s halfway level.
For all of the unhealthy vibes which have surrounded the Red Sox at instances, the entire membership’s targets are nonetheless inside attain. Boston goes into the second half nonetheless final within the AL East, sure, but additionally 5 video games over .500 at 48-43 and solely two video games out of the final AL Wild Card spots. The membership can be getting more healthy, so it’s fully doable we might search for every week from now and the Red Sox may very well be not solely again within the postseason area, however pushing the Baltimore Orioles for an opportunity to host a first-round playoff sequence.
The subsequent few months are shaping as much as be actually fascinating, so listed below are a couple of storylines to comply with because the Red Sox transfer into the second half.
Save the dates
In somewhat over a month Mookie Betts will return to Fenway Park for the primary time since being traded in early 2020, because the Los Angeles Dodgers are slated to go to Boston the weekend of Aug. 25-27.
Now a seven-time All-Star, Betts is within the midst of one other MVP-caliber season. The 30-year-old outfielder is batting .276 with 26 house runs and a .964 OPS, and his 4.2 wins above alternative mark ranks fourth within the majors. His Dodgers are within the midst of a down season (by their requirements) however are nonetheless tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for first within the NL West.
Needless to say, that’s going to be an enormous weekend for the Red Sox, however the enjoyable gained’t cease there.
Immediately after the Dodgers fly house, the Red Sox may also welcome the defending World Series champion Houston Astros, who’re shaping as much as be among the many three or 4 Wild Card contenders who Boston will likely be jockeying for place with down the stretch. Houston and the Toronto Blue Jays are tied within the standings and occupy the second and third AL Wild Card spots, in order that late-August homestand might have large ramifications for Boston.
Buy or promote?
Before the Red Sox even get that far, the query of how they need to handle the commerce deadline should be resolved. Right now the membership is on a heater and went into the All-Star break having gained eight of their final 9, and popping out of the break they’ll play 9 straight video games in opposition to under .500 groups, together with one other sequence in opposition to the lowly Oakland Athletics.
Needless to say, issues are trying up for the Red Sox, however they’ve had a few spectacular scorching streaks already solely to instantly face plant and fall again to sq. one.
How the Red Sox play over the subsequent couple weeks ought to go a great distance in the direction of figuring out the membership’s final path. If the Red Sox make the most of the smooth schedule and maintain profitable, there’s a good wager Chaim Bloom will push his chips to the middle of the desk and herald reinforcements.
If not? He and the group might have some robust choices to make forward of Aug. 1.
Cavalry is coming
How the Red Sox play by the remainder of July isn’t the one factor that would impression the membership’s method on the commerce deadline. The membership can be getting more healthy and may have some key gamers return sooner or later by mid-August.
Shortstop Yu Chang and left-hander Joely Rodriguez had been each activated this previous week, and fellow bullpen arms Richard Bleier and John Schreiber may not be far behind them. Then there’s Trevor Story, who has made spectacular progress since present process offseason elbow surgical procedure and is now anticipated to start his rehab project after the All-Star break. He’ll most likely spend a very good chunk of time within the minors working his manner again, however at this level a return in early to mid-August appears to be like probably.
Getting again the two-time All-Star can be a large enhance for the Red Sox offensively and defensively, and the identical could be stated for any mixture of Chris Sale, Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock. There isn’t any set timetable for any of these starters to return, however all three have acquired constructive information of their recoveries and are trending in the precise path.
We nonetheless haven’t seen this yr’s Red Sox at full power, so it is going to be fascinating to see how the membership performs as soon as it has everybody again.
Playoff chase heats up
For higher or worse, the Red Sox are going to have loads of possibilities to show they belong within the playoff area.
Over the ultimate two and a half months, 30 of Boston’s final 71 video games are set to come back in opposition to groups within the AL Wild Card or inside 4 video games of the final spot.
The Red Sox will play a three-game sequence at Seattle (45-44) the week of the commerce deadline, six video games in opposition to Toronto (50-41), and 7 video games every in opposition to Houston (50-41), New York (49-42) and Baltimore (54-35). Boston will play every of its AL East rivals no less than as soon as over the ultimate three weeks in September, and the membership will conclude the common season with a doubtlessly pivotal four-game set in opposition to the Orioles at Camden Yards.
Yoshida batting champion?
Masataka Yoshida has made a clean transition to the large leagues, and ranks among the many American League’s most prolific hitters.
Could his first season in MLB finish with a batting title? He’s received an actual shot.
Yoshida ranks third amongst certified American League hitters with a .316 common, behind solely Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz (.323) and Toronto’s Bo Bichette (.317). Texas’ Corey Seager, who spent a couple of month on the injured checklist throughout the spring, can be batting .353 and may very well be a contender if he retains hitting and accumulates sufficient at bats down the stretch.
There’s nonetheless a number of baseball to be performed, and Yoshida has by no means skilled a full 162-game massive league season, but when he retains hitting at his present clip then a batting title chase may very well be an thrilling subplot in what the Red Sox hope will likely be an exhilarating run to the playoffs.
Source: www.bostonherald.com