The 2018 Red Sox are in the midst of a historic season. One that they won't soon forget. But, they could also be in the midst of a historic collapse, too.
Boston is 10-6 in the month of September, and while that may seem like a solid record, five of those ten wins have come by just one run. While the team sits atop the AL East, needing just one win in New York to clinch their third straight division title, it just doesn't seem like they're built for October. It seems like we've seen this movie before. Oh, wait... We have. Last season was the same situation, and a poor result. Boston won 93 games and took on the Houston Astros in the ALDS. Both teams had World Series aspirations, and the Red Sox hopes were tarnished in just 4 games. Now, just short of a year later, here we are. The same situation, staring the same result dead in the face. Boston's likely opponent in the ALDS is the same team they're locked in battle with this week, the New York Yankees. The two arch-rivals haven't squared off in a postseason series since Boston pulled off the greatest comeback in baseball history in the 2004 ALCS, and the Yankees want their revenge. Right about now, they look like they're going to get it. New York has defeated Boston in the first two games of this week's series, and Boston has looked poor in both contests. There's no fight. No heart. J.D Martinez is consistently the only bat in the lineup to show up. MVP candidate Mookie Betts has gone cold. Andrew Benintendi might as well be buried in a glacier with how ice cold he's been, not only in this series, but the past month. But Alex Cora insists on batting him second in the order night in and night out. Maybe he'll wake up if they're down 2-0 in about 3 weeks. Anyway, the lineup should figure things out within the next couple series between Cleveland and Baltimore. Should. As for the pitching staff? Well, that's a different story. We still don't have answers to a number of questions. How healthy is Chris Sale? Will it be a three or four man rotation? Who will make the playoff roster in the bullpen? We still don't know. I'm not even sure Alex Cora knows. I will give Cora credit, though. He has gotten much better about how long he lets his bullpen arms go. Mainly, in large part, because they stink more often than not. In the postseason, it's all about finding a combination that works. It's a game of chess. Let's just hope Cora knows how to play. There is hope for the bullpen, however. Nathan Eovaldi should move to the pen for the postseason, who's actually been one of the better starters as of late. Why is this a bode of confidence? Because in case of a clunker from David Price or Rick Porcello, Eovaldi is in Cora's back pocket to clean up the mess. Almost like a security blanket. From there, it's all about piecing it together, and hopefully the offense will be able to provide the slightest bit of run support. If there's one thing the Red Sox can NOT let happen, it's this. The last series of the season at Fenway Park can NOT mean anything for New York. Wild Card included. Oakland either needs to make a move or stay put, because if New York is playing for anything that last weekend, that spells trouble for not only Oakland, but the Red Sox as well. Because New York is the kind of team that, if they get momentum, they ride it. For a long time. So if the Yankees come into Fenway and take two-of-three or even sweep, Oakland doesn't stand a chance in the Wild Card game. More importantly however, the Bronx Bombers will be riding a tidal wave back to Boston two days later for game one, and Boston will be on their heels, if they're not already. Even though things don't look good from a bird's eye view right now, we've seen this team do remarkable things this season. Especially when we least expect it. This squad can turn it on at any point, so don't be surprised if they do just that. But, also don't be surprised if they continue to sputter. Be on your toes this October, but always, always: Keep the faith.
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There have been many things the 2018 Boston Red Sox have done to leave us with our jaws hanging open. From walk-off wins, to late comebacks in dramatic fashion, dazzling pitching performances and offensive onslaughts, the Red Sox are without a doubt having one of the most special seasons in recent memory. But there's only one thing that would complete this 'perfect' year: a championship.
For the rest of the regular season, right up until October 1st, Boston should treat these games like the postseason, and you should too. The Sox have 20 games left after today, and 12 of them come against playoff bound teams. 6 vs. NYY 3 vs. HOU 3 vs. CLE Those 3 opponents are actually quite ideal for Boston, as all of those clubs will be an almost certain playoff opponent. However, an interesting scenario does arise if the Oakland A's are able to capture the AL West. That would slate a one game play-in between the Yankees and Astros, which would help make Boston's path to the World Series just a little bit clearer. Boston's magic number to clinch the AL East is 14, and the only reason that number is still so high with the Red Sox sitting at 97 wins, is because the boys in pinstripes are in the rear-view at 87. The biggest reason Boston should treat these games like the playoffs is because, well, they pretty much are. Granted, New York has been sputtering as of late, losing 4 out of 7 on their last homestand. They had to trade for OF Andrew McCutchen as an insurance policy for a recovering Aaron Judge, who still hasn't been able to pick up a bat. To make matters worse for fans in the Bronx, flame thrower Aroldis Chapman may be done for the season as well. Even with the Red Sox standing tall with a 9 game lead in the AL East, they can't let their foot off the gas pedal. With Chris Sale and David Price coming back as soon as next weekend off the DL according to manager Alex Cora, they'll need a start or two to 'tune up' for the postseason. But the teams on the east coast aren't the only ones that have been bitten by the injury bug this season. The reigning champs have also fallen victim of frequent DL stints. Stars in Houston, Altuve, Correa, Springer, McCullers and Morton are all names that have appeared on the injury report at some time or another in 2018. At the same time, a potential postseason showdown with the Astros should make Boston fans and players alike, salivate. These are the same guys that knocked them out a year ago, and what would be a better form of revenge than returning the favor? The Sox seem to be clicking on all cylinders, even without Sale and Price for the time being, which is perhaps the scariest part in all of this. Eduardo Rodriguez returned to the rotation and was marvelous over the weekend. Rick Porcello continues to deal. The bullpen is somewhat returning to old form, Joe Kelly has become Mr. Reliable once again, alongside newly emerged stud Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes. And, of course, the offense. But then again, what can be said that hasn't already been said about the bats. It's almost insanity. At the end of the day, the Red Sox are a good team, with a great chance to do something special, and standing behind them is one nation, under Fenway Park lights. |