The All-Star break is always a time for a team to rest, reset, and get prepared for the final push through the second half to get into the postseason.
The All-Star break couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Boston Red Sox, who were entering the break on a ten-game winning streak.
With that winning streak, the Sox climbed their way up the standings and now, as of this writing, sit only 3.0 games back from division leader, the Toronto Blue Jays.
PHOTO: Boston Red Sox/FacebookA lot had gone wrong with the Sox earlier in the season. Still, towards the end, after trading Rafael Devers to San Francisco and bringing up their top prospects, Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer, the Sox seemed to take off after a brief adjustment period following the trade.
2018 seems to be a good year to compare to this year’s team, as they had their ups and downs to start their season, then took off on a ten-game winning streak and never looked back on their way to a World Series championship.
Will this team do the same? That is to be decided.
There is, however, some good news on the horizon with the return of Alex Bregman to the lineup. The pitching has started to show consistency and looks to have a strong second half. Then there is the trade deadline, which is one where the Sox should be buyers and not sellers. The magic is starting to return to Fenway as fans witness a young and hungry team that wants to win now.
Letting your prospects reach the majors and grow is usually a process that involves a lot of ups and downs, as they grow and mature at the major league level. Kristian Campbell started the season with the team but is now in the minor leagues after struggling to make the necessary adjustments to return to the majors. Marcelo Mayer has been great on the defensive side and is holding his own at the plate. Roman Anthony struggled a bit when he first came up, but it seems he has now found his groove in the batter’s box, as his approach appears to be that of a seasoned major league player.
Garrett Crochet has been the ace that the Sox envisioned when they traded for him and then signed him to a long-term contract. Alex Cora has consistently demonstrated even-tempered management through the ups and downs. This should not go unnoticed, as when a team is struggling, you cannot have your leader blaming players or adopting a ‘woe is me’ philosophy.
The winning streak has been fun and reminded Sox Nation of the good times and the possibilities for this team. Will the streak continue today against the Chicago Cubs at historic Wrigley Field? That question will be answered very soon. The one thing that Sox Nation should take with them is that when the struggles and lows of this team seem frustrating, remember that this team has shown the capability to go on a prolonged winning streak and does not give up.
Baseball likes to humble even the best, but for this year’s edition of the Boston Red Sox, it seems they will take their lumps and then start dishing some out themselves. It should be a fun second-half ride with October baseball returning to Fenway as a real possibility.
The old sign out in left-center field used to always say ‘Keep the faith.’ What followed was the World Series championships that no one could have imagined as a Red Sox fan.
Let’s continue to hold onto our faith and see where it leads our beloved Boston Red Sox.
PHOTO: Boston Red Sox/Facebook
