A couple of months ago, the Boston Red Sox being in the postseason conversation would've been farfetched, but heading into the All-Star break, they're 53-42 and hold the third Wild Card spot.
While making the playoffs would be an accomplishment in its own right for a team that hasn't done so the last two seasons, they aren't satisfied with just making it as the sixth seed.
Speaking after Boston's win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, manager Alex Cora made it clear what the team is thinking.
“So far so good but we have bigger goals than having a good first part of the season,” Cora said (via. MassLive). “We’re four and a half games back from the lead in the East and that’s what we’re shooting for. The whole talk about the Wild Card and all that, it should be in the past. Let’s think big and see what happens.”
Earlier in the year, the Red Sox had fallen as much as 14.5 games out of first place in the AL East, yet that gap is just 4.5 games now. Boston is also just 3.5 games behind the New York Yankees, who are in second place.
“If you remember last year, my last press conference, I challenged myself and challenged the coaching staff to be better,” Cora said. “We needed to be better. And we changed a few things and every day we’re challenging ourselves to help these kids to be great.”
The Red Sox are expected to get first baseman Triston Casas back from injury some time after the break, and if they can add a piece or two through trade, they might just be able to make the push for the division title.
