It was just a few weeks ago that people where writing off the Boston Red Sox as a playoff team. Well, the Red Sox are currently tied for the longest winning streak in Major League Baseball with the Minnesota Twins. Each team has won six games in a row and the Red Sox got their 6th win last night with a 16-3 win over the Chicago White Sox.
This Red Sox hot streak also coincides with Trevor Story getting hot as well. Over his last five games Story is 8 for 21 with 6 home runs and 17 RBI's. When the Red Sox where struggling there was quite a bit of concern about the fact that Story hadn't hit for power. Well, Story now is second on the Red Sox with 8 home runs. Story is only trailing Rafael Devers who leads the team with 10 home runs.
Now even with this current winning streak the Red Sox are still two games under .500 at 20-22 and are still in 4th place in the American League East, but they're in a much better position now than they were a couple of weeks ago when we were talking about them.
Now even with the extra playoff spot that was added it's still going to be difficult for the Red Sox to find their way into the playoffs, but the biggest thing they can do for themselves is to win those games against the other teams in their division. Boston may be in the toughest division in baseball, but one of the easiest ways to make up ground is to beat those teams that are in your division.
Now after this series with the White Sox Boston will have a chance to face a team within its division as they play a wrap around five game series against the last place Baltimore Orioles. After the series with the Orioles wraps up on May 30th the Red Sox will go almost a full month without playing a team in their division. Boston won't face an A.L. East team until June 27th when they're in Toronto for a three-game series against the Blue Jays.
That's a very big gap in between division games, but by the time the Red Sox get to Toronto for that series they'll have a very good idea where they stand.
The Red Sox still have issues with who is closing games for them. Boston doesn't really have a set guy to close games and currently have six different pitchers that have a save this season. We've never really seen the closer by committee set up work and it's doubtful that the Red Sox will be the first team to make it work, but there could be an answer for the back end of the bullpen if it's something that Boston would like to try.
Is it possible that Chris Sale could be the Red Sox closer when he returns from injury? Sale started his career as a reliever and actually has 12 career saves.
Sale has only pitched 42 2/3rds innings the last three seasons. He didn't pitch in 2020 due to injury and he's yet to pitch this season as he's injured again. It's possible that a move to the bullpen may help Sale as he makes his way back. As a closer Sale would only be asked to get three outs and that could help him build his arm strength. I think the only issue with making a move like this is, would Sale be available to pitch in back-to-back games.
Moving Sale into the closer's role wouldn't have to be a permanent thing for him or the Red Sox and I understand that he's being paid as a starting pitcher, but at this point isn't what's best for the team the thing to do here?
Now there hasn't been any type of timetable for Sale's return and it' unclear if he's even begun to throw, but when he returns, he'll need a role to fill with this Red Sox pitching staff and closer could be it.
So now that the Red Sox are playing better, how do you feel about them finding their way into the playoffs? I'd also like to know what you think about Sale taking over Boston's closing role once he returns from injury?
So, I decided to leave you laughing, well unless you do this as well. I have Joc Pedersen on one of my fantasy teams. He hit three home runs and was 4 for 6 with I believe 7 RBI's last night. Well, I didn't have him in my lineup.
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