When the calendar flipped from June to July, the Boston Red Sox looked like a team that would be selling at the MLB trade deadline on August 3. They were buried in last place in the American League East Division.
Then, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, things changed. The Red Sox ripped off a 15-game winning streak that nobody saw coming. They swept the Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox, New York Mets, and Tampa Bay Rays. They took the first two games against the Baltimore Orioles, including Game 1 of a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon, 6-3, at Fenway Park. The win was their 15th straight, which tied the club record set in 1946.
However, eventually, all good things must come to an end. That was the case in Game 2 on Wednesday night. The Orioles scored four runs in the top of the first inning, which was all they needed in a 5-1 victory. After the loss, All-Star first baseman Willson Contreras had a message for his teammates.
Boston Red Sox First Baseman Drops Message After Loss To Baltimore Orioles
The winning streak moved Boston from near the bottom of the AL wild-card standings to the third and final postseason spot. They are two games clear of the Seattle Mariners for the final spot. What did the winning streak tell the Red Sox? Contreras didn’t mince words after Wednesday night’s loss.
“We can beat anybody,” said Contreras, per Tim Healy of the Boston Globe. “That’s lesson No. 1. We are a good team in the battles, we are resilient, and a team that sits together, winning or losing. That was a great ride, 15-game winning streak. There’s nothing to be sad about. We have to be happy. We should be proud of what we did. And, from now on, just keep playing the way we’ve been playing lately.”
Seven of the 15 wins were over first-place teams, the White Sox and Rays. However, Boston did what good teams do, they beat the teams on their schedule they should. That would have been the Angels, Mets, and Orioles. Winning series at this point in the season is what is going to get them to October baseball.
Interim manager Chad Tracy pointed out what was just as important as winning games as his team shot up the standings.
“What happened within (the streak) — the way that the identity of the team changed within it — is most important,” Tracy said, per Healy. “All right, what created that?
“Not only did we run off 15 wins, but we found who we are when we’re a good baseball team.”
Boston Red Sox Look To Rebound Against Toronto Blue Jays
Boston is off on Thursday before opening a three-game homestand over the weekend against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. One year after taking the Los Angeles Dodgers to Game 7 of the World Series, Toronto is leaning toward being sellers at the trade deadline.
The Red Sox will have to prove that their streak wasn’t a fluke. There is still no trade deadline path for Boston, which will be determined by the next two weeks. However, this winning streak should be pushing them to be a buyer.
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