The Boston Red Sox won eight of their last nine series heading into the All-Star break, and outfielder Jarren Duran represented the team well by winning All-Star Game MVP with a game-winning home run for the American League during the time off.
With all of their recent success, Boston has put themselves in prime position to compete with some of baseball's best for a playoff spot down the stretch
On Friday, ESPN put every team into one of five tiers. The top tier, titled "The Big Five," included the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians.
Just behind them were the "Established Contenders," and that's where they put the Red Sox. Here's what ESPN's Jorge Castillo had to say about Boston entering the second half of the 2024 season:
"A better-than-expected starting rotation and a versatile, exciting lineup. Boston's rotation was thought to be in shambles when the season started, but All-Star Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford have been outstanding to buoy an otherwise thin group. Offensively, the Red Sox can win games in different ways with a variety of people. They rank eighth in the majors in home runs and sixth in stolen bases. All-Star Game MVP Jarren Duran and Connor Wong have posted breakout seasons, Tyler O'Neill has been a welcomed power infusion and Rob Refsnyder has feasted on left-handed pitching while Rafael Devers continues anchoring the lineup with another stellar season. The group would only improve if first baseman Triston Casas, out since April with a rib injury, comes off the IL.
Casas' return would give the club a jolt in its pursuit of a postseason berth. As would acquiring a starting pitcher to eat innings. The rotation beyond Houck and Crawford is filled with question marks -- no other starters have an ERA under 4.00. Manager Alex Cora has publicly applied pressure on the front office to acquire reinforcements, but nothing is guaranteed from an ownership group that has recently been oddly reluctant to take on money."
Other teams in the second tier included the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners and Kansas City Royals.
This honestly feels just about right for the Red Sox through their first 96 games of the year. They have the potential to take out any of the teams in their tier, but with how the Yankees have played recently, even against Boston, they may be creeping back down to the second tier.
