Boston Red Sox
Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet may play critical roles in shaping the outcome.
Roman Anthony appears to be nearing a return. Steven Senne/AP Photo
August 14, 2026 | 11:07 AM
6 minutes to read
Take a deep breath. Compose yourself. Gather your thoughts.
For the true diehard Red Sox fans out there, this has been a circuitous, unpredictable, and, quite frankly, bizarre season unlike any other in franchise history. Go to the beach and relax before the stretch run. You’ve earned a break from the stress and anxiety.
For the fair-weather fans who heard they were good again and were very confused to see they lost five in a row, here’s a quick refresher.
The Red Sox started the season 32-46 and firmly established themselves as one of the worst teams in baseball. That wasn’t an opinion; it was a fact.
Then, they pieced together one of the most torrid stretches in Major League Baseball history, winning 32 of 37 games from late June to early August and increasing their playoff odds from 12.1 percent to 96.2 percent.
Since that point, they’ve entered another slump and have regressed to the mean – outside of Thursday’s 7-0 win over the Blue Jays, which was an impressive bounce-back performance. Everything they’ve done to this point has yielded a solidly above average baseball team (65-56), which somehow, even given the highly unusual path to get here, feels about right.
So, what happens now? It’s anyone’s guess, but there are certain players, trends, and statistics to monitor that could determine how the rest of the season shakes out. What transpired to this point will always be part of the story, but what unfolds from here on is ultimately most important.
Let’s take a closer look at some potential X-factors:
No offense taken
It sounds like an oversimplification, but in the case of the 2026 Red Sox, it isn’t. Boston is 54-13 when scoring four or more runs and 11-43 when scoring three runs or fewer.
The pitching is elite enough that even if the offense is average and gives the team a shot, there’s an excellent chance it will result in a win. When the Red Sox are efficient and in a rhythm at the plate, they’re awfully tough to beat. When they strand runners and go through dry spells, they struggle immensely.
Stars aligning
One of the most remarkable parts of the Red Sox’ resurgence is the fact that they’ve done it all without two of their best players in Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet.
Anthony and Crochet both struggled before their injuries, but they still have the talent and firepower to dramatically alter the results from this point forward. Calling Anthony a potential Most Valuable Player candidate before the season felt a bit premature, but he’s still an on-the-rise player with a dynamic skill set.
While Crochet may end up coming out of the bullpen, he could prove to be extremely valuable there. In a tight playoff game, there’s no one they trust more outside of maybe Aroldis Chapman.
Injury updates via #RedSox manager Chad Tracy ❤️🩹 ⬇️
• Roman Anthony has begun hitting off the Trajekt machine, “getting closer” to a rehab assignment, but “don’t want to put a timetable on it”
• Trevor Story was able to ramp up the intensity after a regen day, “creeping… pic.twitter.com/GSeiNz1jhi
— NESN (@NESN) August 11, 2026
Feeling out Franklin
It feels like there’s always some Red Sox prospect that’s supposed to be the next big thing. Some pan out (Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela), while others don’t (Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell so far). The latest is Franklin Arias.
The Red Sox have an interesting decision to make between Arias, Andruw Monasterio, and potentially Trevor Story at shortstop. Story is still an elite talent but has also struggled of late when healthy like Anthony and Crochet. Monasterio is a consistent hitter but less consistent in the field.
Arias may be the best option, but he’s also only 20 years old and hasn’t played a game in the majors. Can you trust him when it matters most? He should at a minimum be on the roster, and if he’s as legit as everyone expects, he could make a major splash at just the right moment.
Push to start
Sonny Gray has had an excellent career and is eager to solidify his legacy with one truly dominant postseason run. Ranger Suárez has been up and down of late but is 4-1 with a 1.48 ERA in 11 postseason appearances.
Payton Tolle, Jake Bennett, and Patrick Sandoval are all promising young arms who are still learning early in their careers. The rotation has been strong most of the season, but is it enough when it matters most? It feels like Tolle is ready to deliver a seven-inning, one-run, 11-strikeout gem against the Yankees in October.
The Red Sox are 49-5 when leading after six innings, 57-2 when leading after seven, and 61-1 when leading after eight. There’s a lot of pressure on the starters to perform, but when they do – like Tolle did Thursday – the Red Sox are usually in an ideal spot.
Pen to paper
In an ideal world, the Red Sox’ bullpen would look something like Erik Miller in the seventh, Garrett Whitlock in the eighth, and Chapman in the ninth.
But, Whitlock is currently on the injured list, which will give other relievers a chance to prove themselves heading into the postseason. Brayan Bello, Crochet, and Tyron Guerrero could also be part of the equation.
Can the bullpen return to form and maintain its presence as one of the best in baseball? Is it built for postseason success? Time will tell.
The #RedSox today placed RHP Garrett Whitlock on the 15-Day Injured List (retroactive to August 10) with right elbow inflammation. To fill his spot, Boston recalled RHP Greg Weissert from Triple-A Worcester.
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 13, 2026
East feast
The Red Sox are currently 19-22 against the American League East. Granted, it’s a strong division, but it’s not that strong. They’re 17-8 against the AL Central, 12-10 against the AL West, and 17-16 against the National League.
They’ve struggled against the Blue Jays, in particular, and are now 4-9 against Toronto this season after dropping three of four.
They play the Yankees four times in late August, the Orioles four times in early September, and the Rays three times in mid-September. Going, say, 7-4, in those games, would help solidify their spot in the playoffs and potentially yield home-field advantage against New York.
Badly need Adley and Mead
Expecting Adley Rutschman to come in and immediately perform at an All-Star level following an injury is unfair. Expecting him to provide a steady hand both at and behind the plate, though, is reasonable.
“A catcher who sacrifices offense for the pitchers and locks in on them, that’s a big thing and he does that.”#MLBTonight talks about what Adley Rutschman brings to the Red Sox as he catches his second game with the team. pic.twitter.com/yEvFMK8J4K
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 13, 2026
He’s been solid but not spectacular so far. The move was a good one, regardless of how it shakes out, because it proved that the Red Sox realize the time is now. Whether it was a great move remains to be seen.
Curtis Mead could also potentially provide a jolt if he’s able to return and play like the guy the Red Sox hoped they were acquiring. It may take some time, like it did for Caleb Durbin, but expediting the process would go a long way.
Prime position
The Red Sox led the majors with a .313 average and .904 on-base-plus-slugging with runners in scoring position over a 31-game span from early July to early August.
In this series against the Blue Jays, they finished 4 for 27, with a big boost from Durbin and his game-altering grand slam in the eighth. Needless to say, that .148 average won’t suffice moving forward.
The Red Sox likely won’t come close to replicating their peak performance, and that’s OK, but they need to be at least above average to have a chance.
Durbin and Duran
While it takes a whole team to contend for a World Series, it’s pretty clear at this point that Durbin and Jarren Duran are the biggest X-factors on the roster.
They’re both at their best when they’re keeping it simple at the plate, driving the ball the other way, and wreaking havoc on the basepaths. That approach sets up moments like Durbin’s on Thursday.
The lineup goes from average to above average when they’re consistently threats to produce.
Home cooking
The Red Sox played much better at home during their streak, but they’re still just 29-31 at Fenway Park compared to 36-26 on the road.
They’re at their most dangerous when Fenway is buzzing, they’re playing with heart, and it feels like it’s not over until it’s truly over.
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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