We’ve got formally reached the three-quarters mark of the MLB season, and every little thing the Crimson Sox hope to realize remains to be there for the taking.
Coming into the weekend the Crimson Sox stand at 66-56 with 40 video games remaining, their finest document at this level within the season since 2021. They maintain the American League’s second Wild Card spot, and if the season ended in the present day they’d fly out to Seattle to play the Mariners in a three-game AL Wild Card Collection.
Final yr’s AL playoff cutline was 86 wins, and to hit that mark this yr the Crimson Sox would solely must go .500 the remainder of the way in which. In response to Fangraphs, Boston’s playoff odds at present sit at 73.4%.
Put merely, the Crimson Sox are in a great place.
After a disappointing begin that noticed the membership fall a season-low 5 video games under .500 on June 6, the Crimson Sox have since gone 36-21 to place themselves again in place to play significant baseball this fall. Spectacular as that’s been, the Crimson Sox nonetheless have a whole lot of work to do to ensure they recover from the end line and again into the playoffs for the primary time in 4 years.
Right here’s a have a look at what the ultimate quarter of the season might entail.
The street forward
The Crimson Sox simply accomplished their most troublesome stretch of the season, a 24-game gauntlet popping out of the All-Star break through which the membership performed six of its eight collection in opposition to playoff groups. Boston went 13-11 over that stretch, together with a 9-1 span sandwiched between two disappointing street journeys.
From right here on out, the schedule ought to loosen up lots.
Over the ultimate month and a half the Crimson Sox will play 24 of their final 40 video games in opposition to groups who at present have dropping data. That features two collection every in opposition to the last-place Orioles and Athletics, together with collection in opposition to the Pirates, Marlins, Diamondbacks and Rays.
Within the short-term the Crimson Sox ought to have alternative to stack some wins as nicely. 4 of the membership’s subsequent 5 collection will probably be in opposition to dropping groups, beginning with this week’s upcoming five-game homestand in opposition to the Marlins and Orioles.
Mark your calendars
So far as the video games almost certainly to find out Boston’s final playoff destiny, there are 5 collection followers will wish to circle on the calendar as potential make-or-break alternatives.
The primary two are the Crimson Sox’s final remaining collection in opposition to the New York Yankees, which will probably be performed within the Bronx subsequent week (Aug. 21-24) and at Fenway Park subsequent month (Sept. 12-14).
The Crimson Sox are at present 1.5 video games up on the Yankees in each the AL East and AL Wild Card standings, so these collection might present the membership a possibility to bury its largest rival for good, or enable the Yankees to crawl out of their current tailspin and regain the initiative.
Failure to place the Yankees away might additionally elevate the stakes of Boston’s upcoming collection in opposition to the Guardians (Sept. 1-3), who sit slightly below the playoff cutline and is perhaps nipping on the Crimson Sox’s heels if they begin dropping floor.
The final two collection to look at are Boston’s ultimate collection of the common season, which come in opposition to two of the AL’s finest groups within the AL East-leading Blue Jays and the AL Central-leading Tigers. If the Crimson Sox care for enterprise in opposition to the mushy a part of the remaining schedule, that collection in Toronto might doubtlessly decide the AL East crown. And it doesn’t matter what goes down, the ultimate weekend at Fenway in opposition to the Tigers will probably have main AL playoff seeding ramifications.
Reinforcements incoming
The Crimson Sox introduced in right-handed starter Dustin Could and left-handed reliever Steven Matz on the commerce deadline, however the membership may nonetheless have an opportunity so as to add a pair extra affect items for the stretch run.
Essentially the most notable is right-hander Justin Slaten, who hasn’t pitched since Could 28 however who’s lastly progressing in direction of a return after it was decided a bone in his neck was urgent in opposition to nerves and blood vessels, inflicting shoulder soreness. Previous to happening the IL Slaten was certainly one of Boston’s high set-up males behind nearer Aroldis Chapman, and getting him again would give the membership one other high-leverage weapon to pair with Garrett Whitlock on the finish of video games.
The Crimson Sox may need an opportunity so as to add one other high-octane bullpen arm when rosters broaden in September as nicely. Laborious throwing right-hander David Sandlin, at present the group’s No. 10 prospect in response to MLB Pipeline, has been moved from the rotation to the bullpen in Triple-A in anticipation of a possible huge league call-up. Fellow prospects Payton Tolle (No. 2) and Connelly Early (No. 6), each lefties, are additionally in Triple-A and will emerge as choices as nicely.
Boston’s place participant group is basically set in stone, however the Crimson Sox nonetheless hope rookie infielder Marcelo Mayer may be capable to return from the sprained wrist that has sidelined him since late July.
So far as September call-ups go, the almost certainly candidates could be both David Hamilton or Nick Sogard to fortify the membership’s bench. But when he continues to progress defensively, notably at first base, a return from Kristian Campbell can’t be dominated out.
It will even be attention-grabbing to see if the Crimson Sox give high outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia (No. 3) a shot. He has additionally been getting work at first base and has been tearing the quilt off the ball ever since his promotion to Worcester, hitting 16 residence runs with a .924 OPS in his first 61 video games at Triple-A.
