The Boston Red Sox may need a miracle to secure a postseason berth following a challenging 3-7 stretch over their last 10 games. On Wednesday night, the Red Sox’s playoff hopes took another hit with an 8-3 loss to the New York Mets, marking their fifth consecutive defeat and dropping their record to 70-70. This is the first time since June 14 that their record has been at or below .500.
The Red Sox can’t afford to feel sorry for themselves at this juncture. Despite the slim odds, it’s still possible for them to close a 5.5-game gap with 22 games left in the season. Acknowledging their current situation is crucial for improvement, and after their recent loss to the Mets, manager Alex Cora didn’t shy away from calling out his team for their performance.
“Right now, we’re just an average team. Huge homestand coming up and we gotta be better,” Cora said, via Boston Strong on X, formerly known as Twitter.
At this stage, Alex Cora is focusing on what he can control. While it’s important for the Red Sox to try to close the gap on the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals in the wild card race, Cora remains committed to delivering a harsh reality check to his team.
“We’re playing .500 baseball. Talking about the Royals and Twins doesn’t matter,” Cora added, per Christopher Smith of Mass Live.
Since the All-Star break, the Red Sox have struggled, posting a 17-27 record with a run differential of -46 since play resumed on July 19. This level of performance is far from what is needed for a team with playoff ambitions.
However, the upcoming stretch could be just what the Red Sox need to turn things around. After a tough 1-5 road trip, they return home to face the historically underperforming Chicago White Sox. The White Sox, despite a recent 8-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles, have been struggling and are ripe for a few consecutive losses.
These games are crucial for the Red Sox, and if they fail to secure victories against the White Sox, it might be time to consider their 2024 season effectively over.
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