The Boston Red Sox have seen a significant improvement in their playoff chances, with their odds of making the postseason now at 30.7%, according to FanGraphs’ model. This marks a substantial increase from just 9.4% a few weeks ago.
Recent Performance
The Red Sox have won six straight games and 11 of their last 13, including sweeps of the New York Yankees and the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox. Their pitching has been a key factor, with a team ERA that ranks fourth in the AL.
Sonny Gray has been outstanding, with a 10-1 record and a 2.61 ERA. Ranger Suarez has also been impressive, earning a selection to the MLB All-Star Game. Despite the strong pitching, the Red Sox offense still ranks near the bottom of the league in runs scored and home runs.
Playoff Chances
The Red Sox are currently 2.5 games out of the third and final wild card spot in the AL. While there are three teams ahead of them, none of those teams have a .500 record or better, and the Red Sox have a better run differential than all of them.
If the Red Sox can improve their offense and maintain their strong pitching, they should be in the wild card mix throughout the second half of the season. The upcoming Aug. 3 trade deadline may also provide an opportunity for the team to add a right-handed bat and bolster their chances.
Original reporting: NBC10 Boston — read the source article.
