Boston Red Sox
This team simply doesn’t know how to lose.
Brayan Bello pitches during the fourth inning against the New York Mets on Sunday. Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
July 12, 2026 | 5:51 PM
4 minutes to read
The Red Sox were finished.
The games no longer mattered. The playoffs were no longer a possibility. The fans were no longer interested. With a 32-46 record in late June, what happened next was simply a formality.
At least that’s what we all thought.
Then, a team that had struggled at home all season unexpectedly swept the Yankees in a pivotal four-game series to provide a glimmer of hope.
After losing two of three against the Nationals, they won three against the Angels and three against the White Sox to reclaim momentum. Now, following a dramatic, 3-2, extra-inning triumph over the Mets on Sunday, the Red Sox (46-48) are currently riding a nine-game winning streak.
Yes, those Red Sox. The same team you fairly counted out is now factually the hottest team in baseball by a significant margin.
All nine wins came on the road. Sure, the competition hasn’t been the best, but you have to play whoever is in front of you. A team that looked outmatched, out of sorts, and out of options has broken out of its slump with a vengeance.
Boston heads into the All-Star break winners of 14 of 16 and has allowed two runs or fewer in six straight games. A rotation that started strong has now established itself as one of the best in baseball, and a lineup that struggled early has come through in the clutch.
Here are five takeaways:
For most of the way Sunday, it seemed like the Red Sox’ good fortune had finally run out. They trailed the entire game before rallying in the ninth to tie it.
Ceddanne Rafaela singled to left, then Wilyer Abreu popped out. Romy González grounded to short, and it looked like a guaranteed double play before Francisco Lindor misplayed the ball and both runners were safe.
Caleb Durbin walked, Andruw Monasterio walked to score Rafaela, then Jarren Duran hit a bloop single to right to score Tsung-Che Cheng and tie the game.
Jarren Duran bloops one perfectly to right as the Red Sox cap off an incredible 9th inning comeback en route to a 9-0 undefeated road trip to head into the All-Star Break!
📸Daniel Bartel/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/5vUUiKNe9d
— WEEI Red Sox Network (@SoxBooth) July 12, 2026
Earlier in the year, the Red Sox wouldn’t have had the patience to draw such timely walks. Duran’s shallow fly ball to right would have been caught. Something would have gone wrong. Now, everything that can go right is.
Aroldis Chapman did his job in the ninth. Connor Wong moved Masataka Yoshida to third on a sacrifice bunt, then Anthony Seigler brought Yoshida home on a sacrifice fly to left. A team built to play small ball has figured out how to do so effectively.
Garrett Whitlock then closed the deal in the 10th to punctuate a wild win.
Pitching in
Payton Tolle recovered after a tough first inning to allow just one run in 3 2/3 innings. Tolle struck out seven on 65 pitches and hit his stride as his outing progressed.
Brayan Bello then came in and delivered a terrific and much-needed performance (4 1/3 innings, 2 hits, 1 earned run, 5 strikeouts, 55 pitches, 38 strikes) to lower his ERA to 6.06.
This is only the 3rd Red Sox team ever to record a 6-game span in which they went 6-0 and allowed 6 runs or fewer (also 1915 and 1978).
W 8-1
W 5-0
W 2-1
W 6-2
W 4-0
W 3-2
— J.P. Long (@SoxNotes) July 12, 2026
Calling it a rocky year for Bello would be an understatement, but he deserves credit for making the most of his call-up and proving he still has Major League stuff. For whatever reason, he seems to be most comfortable out of the bullpen, so there’s no reason to tinker with that formula unless something changes.
Chapman (2.20 ERA) and Whitlock (2.18) ERA continue to be one of the best late-game duos in baseball.
Ready to rally
The Red Sox entered Sunday 1-40 when trailing after seven innings and 0-43 when trailing through eight.
Yes, they received a gift from the baseball gods with the Lindor error, but it’s also true that successful teams create their own luck. They were opportunistic and kept scrapping the entire way.
They’re also now 14-44 when their opponent scores first, 10-36 when scoring fewer than four runs, 9-14 in one-run games, and 12-19 in series finales. They’re starting to win in ways they couldn’t for much of the season.
Road less traveled
This is only the second time in franchise history the Red Sox have swept an entire road trip of nine or more games, with the other coming in 1977.
They’re now 22-10 in their last 32 road games, and five road sweeps before the All-Star break ties a franchise record.
It’s also only the second time they have ever carried a win streak of nine or more games into the All-Star break. Interestingly, they won 10 straight heading into the break last year before dropping five of their first seven to start the second half.
So, while this is necessary and nice, it’s important to remember it’s just the beginning.
Can somebody explain to me what has happened with the Red Sox cause I sure can’t figure it out🤔
— Jonathan Papelbon (@TheRealJPap58) July 12, 2026
The All-Star break comes at a bad time for the Red Sox, who, if they had it their way, would almost certainly choose to keep playing.
But, there are some benefits. For starters, Rafaela, Chapman, and Willson Contreras (Sonny Gray deserves it, too) will have the opportunity to represent the franchise in Philadelphia.
How improbable was today’s @RedSox win?
The Sox had lost their last 77 games where they trailed by multiple runs entering the 9th.
The Mets had won 130 consecutive games leading by multiple runs through 8 innings.
— Mike Monaco (@MikeMonaco_) July 12, 2026
It also gives players a chance to spend time with their families and rest up before they try to make a playoff push.
At the same time, you can’t help but wonder if this will hurt the momentum they’ve built. Regardless of what happens from here, though, this has been one heck of a surge.
The Red Sox, out of absolutely nowhere, are very much alive.
Trevor Hass is a sports producer for Boston.com, where he writes and edits stories about Boston’s professional teams, among other tasks.
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