“Boston’s Playoff Push: Will the Red Sox Defy the Odds or Face Another Heartbreaking Collapse?”
Boston Red Sox fans started feeling an unsettling sense of déjà vu after the All-Star break. The team struggled to close out games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, but the most concerning issue was their performance against the struggling Colorado Rockies, where they lost one game in extra innings and another by a lopsided 20-7 score. The team had exceeded expectations in the first half of the 2023 season but faded in the second half. This year, a similar collapse cannot happen.
There are many reasons to be optimistic about the Sox’s future, but they need to chart a course to the 2024 MLB playoffs. Missing the playoffs for a third consecutive October is unacceptable for such a major market and storied franchise. It’s especially frustrating considering the team above them in the American League Wild Card standings lost 106 games last season and operates with a significantly smaller payroll.
However, Boston is turning things around. After the MLB trade deadline, the team found its footing again.
Red Sox Make a Big Comeback
Alex Cora’s gritty and surprisingly versatile team is winning the critical games it needs to at this point in the season. First, Rafael Devers led the Red Sox to an extra-innings win against the Seattle Mariners to clinch the series. Next, they avoided a letdown in Arlington, Texas. Finally, they rose to the occasion in what was the most crucial three-game series of the season so far, taking two of three from the Kansas City Royals earlier this week.
Boston is now just one and a half games behind Kansas City and two games behind the Minnesota Twins. While no disrespect is intended toward those teams, this is the kind of challenge Red Sox Nation would have eagerly accepted before Opening Day. Falling short of the playoffs in this scenario would be deeply disappointing.
Fortunately, this team and its fan base don’t have to accept that fate. Momentum and other intangibles are on their side, but they need to address a few key areas to finish the season strong.
Cora has expertly navigated several challenges so far, and he might just be able to overcome these last three obstacles and keep the team on track.
The Red Sox starting pitching rotation, which had been overachieving for a long stretch, has now come back down to earth in the second half. The staff, which was a concern heading into the regular season, is starting to show its volatility again.