With their historic run behind them, the Boston Red Sox simply hope to play well enough over the next month and a half to clinch a playoff berth.
Boston skyrocketed into the second American League Wild Card spot during an unfathomable 32-5 stretch. Despite going 2-7 in their last nine games, the Sox have maintained that spot with a 66-58 record on the year. They’ll enter Monday’s series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a five-game cushion in the AL Wild Card standings.
So, are they still considered a legitimate contender, or are they just one of the many middling clubs in the woeful American League?
Here’s how Boston stacks up against the rest of the league in the latest batch of MLB power rankings:
MLB.com: 7th (down one spot from 6th)
“Sonny Gray reached his career high in wins this weekend with his 15th in a scoreless effort against the Pirates,” Will Leitch wrote. “He keeps creeping up the Cy Young favorites charts; at the very least, it looks like he’s going to finish in the top three in voting for the third time in his career.”
CBS Sports: 11th (down four spots from 7th)
“Talk about their run coming to a screeching halt,” wrote Matt Snyder. “The Red Sox went 32-5 for one of the greatest stretches in MLB history and have since gone 2-7.”
FOX Sports: 10th (down four spots from 6th)
“The seemingly indomitable Red Sox have suddenly dropped seven of their past nine games and have scored more than four runs just once in that stretch,” wrote Rowan Kavner. “Adley Rutschman is 1-for-17 to start his Boston career, which obviously has to change if the Red Sox want to make a run. (Of course, getting Roman Anthony, who’s been out since early May with a finger injury, back for the stretch will also help.)”
Bleacher Report: 10th (down four spots from 6th)
“The Red Sox began August with six straight wins as part of a nine-game winning streak overall, but they are now just 2-7 in their last nine with three consecutive series losses,” Joel Reuter wrote. “They are averaging just 3.6 runs per game during that recent skid, and deadline pickup Adley Rutschman is 1-for-17 with nine strikeouts in a Red Sox uniform.”
USA TODAY: 10th (down three spots from 7th)
Gabe Lacques asks, “With Toronto, Baltimore coming on, will they slide all the way out of playoff position?”
FanSided: 9th (down two spots from 7th)
“Boston has slowed down a bit after their torrid July and early August, with injuries in the bullpen and some inevitable regression at the plate,” Christopher Kline wrote. “Still, there’s plenty to like about this team. The rotation is elite, even with Garrett Crochet sidelined. Payton Tolle is reaching a new level, while Sonny Gray and Ranger Suárez bring ample experience to a potential playoff run. Adley Rutschman is slow out of the gate, but he’s just shaking off the rust. Red Sox fans needn’t panic. With Roman Anthony beginning his rehab assignment in the minors, Boston’s arrow is still pointing up.”
