After a disappointing however not fairly disastrous street journey, the outlook amongst Crimson Sox followers has slipped barely over the previous few days. Whereas a 2-4 southwestern swing to San Diego and Houston received’t kill you, the Sox in all probability ought to have discovered a method to come residence 3-3 given there have been loses that concerned an enormous Roman Antony double to tie the sport within the ninth inning on Saturday and a Garrett Crochet begin by which they scored six runs on Monday. In the event that they managed to seize simply a kind of video games, all of us in all probability really feel a little bit higher concerning the workforce this morning.
Nevertheless, within the grand scheme of issues, skies are already clearing. The Crimson Sox simply accomplished a 24-game stretch popping out of the All-Star break by which they performed 15 of 24 on the street, and 18 of 24 in opposition to groups with higher data than them. All these declarations you could have seen a month in the past concerning the Crimson Sox having certainly one of if not the toughest schedule within the second half of the season had been nearly solely weighted to the 24 sport stretch they only accomplished. A stretch the place they held their very own and went 13-11.
There’s actually issues they might have achieved higher, however they made it by way of the iron principally unscathed. As of this morning, they nonetheless personal a playoff spot and discover themselves simply 4.5 video games off the division lead (and the most effective report within the AL for that matter) with 40 video games to play.
So with that in thoughts, that is the time for the Sox to make a transfer within the standings because the schedule softens considerably. After they resume play on Friday at Fenway, they start a stretch of 34 consecutive video games the place they don’t play a single workforce with a greater report than them.
To develop on this thought, there are presently 9 groups in baseball with a greater report than the Crimson Sox, and they’re as follows:
- Brewers
- Phillies
- Cubs
- Padres
- Dodgers
- Blue Jays
- Tigers
- Astros
- Mariners
To this point this season, the Crimson Sox have performed these groups 40 occasions, and so they’re a full ten video games beneath .500 in opposition to them at 15-25. However in opposition to everyone else in baseball? they’re 51-31. That’s a full 20 video games over .500, and a 100 win tempo over the course of a 162 sport season if extrapolated out.
So once more, if the Crimson Sox are going to make a transfer and place themselves for a pennant, that is the place it must occur. Right here’s how these 34 video games look on a extra detailed stage:
- 3 vs. Marlins
- 2 vs. Orioles
- 4 at Yankees
- 4 at Orioles
- 3 vs. Pirates
- 3 vs. Guardians
- 3 at D-Backs
- 3 at A’s
- 3 vs. Yankees
- 3 vs. A’s
- 3 at Rays
Now if you wish to get actually optimistic, let’s say the Crimson Sox get scalding scorching over this stretch. They run right into a bunch of mediocre pitching that they’ve crushed all 12 months, Dustin Could also be turns into a serviceable backend starter, they catch lightning in a bottle within the bullpen with Justin Slaten coming again sooner or later and a few guys getting known as up from Worcester, and so they rip off one thing like a 24-10 stretch in these video games.
If that occurs (large if), it’s attainable they stroll into Canada on September twenty third with the division lead. They would want some assist from Toronto to not get scorching themselves (their schedule is a combined bag between every now and then) however the mixture is someplace within the playing cards.
That is vital as a result of after this 34 sport stretch in opposition to softer competitors, the Sox shut the season with three video games in Toronto, after which three video games at residence in opposition to the Tigers. The objective proper now ought to be to leapfrog these groups by the point they play them and seize the No. 1 seed. If that occurs, the Crimson Sox wouldn’t face one other workforce with a greater report than them for the remainder of the season except they obtained to the World Sequence and ran right into a high seed on the opposite aspect of the board. That’s bonkers contemplating the lengthy line of groups they only confronted with higher data than them, however it’s someplace throughout the realm of chance if they’ll get all of the items to suit.
After all, it will possibly additionally go the opposite means too. Each the Yankees and Guardians are included within the upcoming checklist of groups on the schedule with worse data than the Sox, and if there’s slippage there, not solely is the division off the desk, however the Wild Card race all of a sudden turns into problematic as effectively. In different phrases, we’ve obtained probably the most significant stretch of late summer season baseball in Boston we’ve had in lots of, a few years, and that ought to be thrilling all by itself!
