The Boston Red Sox just pulled off something absolutely wild, tying a franchise record with 15 consecutive wins, a feat not seen since Ted Williams led the club 80 years ago in 1946. This isn’t just a fun fact for the history books, either. That insane streak has completely flipped the script on what everyone, including the team itself, thought about their trade deadline strategy.
From Cellar Dwellers to Playoff Position in a Month
Man, it felt like just yesterday we were watching the Red Sox totally adrift. On June 24, they were 14 games under .500 and sitting dead last in the AL East. Their postseason dreams? Dim, to say the least. Everyone around the league was whispering about how their offense didn’t scare anybody, and their flaws just looked too big to overcome. Pitchers like Sonny Gray were even talking about waiving no-trade clauses. Closer Aroldis Chapman was practically packed and ready to be shipped out to a contender. The storm clouds were gathering over Fenway Park, seriously.
But then, out of nowhere, this team just started winning. They kept stacking up victories, one at a time, as infielder Caleb Durbin put it. That 15-game run, capped by a 5-1 victory over the Orioles, pushed them to a 52-49 record and, get this, into playoff position in the American League. The streak finally ended one game shy of the all-time franchise record, but it doesn’t change what it did: it completely changed the conversation from selling to buying.
Buying Mode: But What Kind of Buying?
So now, instead of being sellers, the Red Sox are looking to buy before the August 3 deadline. Interim manager Chad Tracy says the group believes in themselves and is focused on winning, no matter what the front office does. He even suggested that with so many teams still bunched up, a lot of clubs might feel like they’re still in it. It’s a crazy turnaround from where they were.
But let’s be real, “buying” can mean different things. Last year, their version of buying involved picking up backend starters Dustin May and Steven Matz, neither of whom exactly lit it up in Boston. Is this year going to be different? Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is in his third full season, so maybe his mindset has shifted. Will he go all in after this historic run? Or will it be another modest move?
This team just went on a tear that nobody saw coming. The Aug. 3 deadline is looming. What kind of players are they going to go after? That’s what every fan is going to be watching for now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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