The Boston Red Sox are facing a harsh reality as their playoff hopes continue to fade after suffering crushing losses to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros. Over the course of ten games, the Red Sox were outscored 67-58, a gap that looks even worse when you subtract the anomaly of a 17-run outburst in the series finale against the Astros. This leaves the Red Sox with a difference of 66-41, highlighting the disparity between true playoff contending teams and mere playoff hopefuls.
The recent series against the Dodgers and Astros demonstrated the Red Sox’s inability to seize the slim opportunity they had to make a postseason push. They dropped two out of three games to Los Angeles and then endured a sweep at the hands of the Astros. It was a disappointing homestand, resulting in a 1-5 debacle. Despite a win over the Dodgers earlier, the Red Sox found themselves 3½ games back from a playoff spot. However, a loss to the Dodgers on Sunday followed by a disastrous performance against the Astros on Monday signaled a new low for the team.
Manager Alex Cora defended his decision to let minor-league reliever Kyle Barraclough take a beating in Monday’s 13-5 loss, citing the shortcomings of the starting staff as the reason for the team’s struggles. However, this only further supports the notion that management was never fully committed to building a team to win this year, despite their claims to the contrary. The decision not to acquire new help at the trade deadline and instead rely on the return of injured players has proved to be a costly mistake.
As the Red Sox limp into Kansas City, they have lost five out of their last six games and seven out of their last ten. Their record in August stands below .500, and they have been swept seven times this season, four of which occurred at Fenway Park. In contrast, the Astros have won seven out of their last ten games and set a franchise-high with 78 hits. They left Boston with their first ever sweep at Fenway and a team that looks destined for October baseball.
It is clear that the Red Sox need to find a way to turn things around in the remaining month of the season. The playoffs are still within reach, but it would require a miracle for the team to overcome their widening deficit for the second wildcard spot. Along with improving their starting pitching, bullpen, and defense, the Red Sox would also need other teams to falter in order to have a chance.
Despite the bleak outlook, there are still players on the Red Sox roster who remain hopeful and determined to have a strong September. Adam Duval acknowledges the need for a good month and emphasizes the importance of finding ways to win games and building momentum.
Overall, the Red Sox’s recent struggles against top teams like the Dodgers and Astros are indicative of the gap between true playoff contenders and teams hoping to make the postseason. The Red Sox must address their weaknesses and rediscover their winning ways if they want to salvage any hope of playing meaningful baseball in October.
