Red Sox surge with franchise-best stretch, closing gap on Yankees
Boston has gone 31-5 since late June, posting a 15-game winning streak and narrowing the AL East race as it approaches the playoffs.
Boston’s baseball club has posted a dramatic turnaround since late June, compiling a 31-5 record through Friday and a 26-3 run since early July. The stretch includes a franchise-tying 15-game winning streak and a 21-4 month, the best monthly performance in the team’s 126-year history. Between July 7 and August 6, the Red Sox defeated four playoff-contending opponents – the Yankees, Rays, White Sox and Dodgers – without a loss.
The surge has moved the club from 14 games under .500 and 15½ games behind the Yankees in late June to within a half-game of the division leader as of Thursday night, positioning the team as a credible postseason contender.
The turnaround follows a rocky start to the season, which saw the firing of manager Alex Cora and several coaches after a 27-game stretch, and a brief interim period under Chad Tracy that left the club 14 games under .500. Rookie manager Dick Williams took over and, according to former pitcher Craig Breslow, the team’s trajectory changed dramatically.
While the roster lacks the star power of previous successful Red Sox squads, strong pitching and contributions from players such as Caleb Durbin, Ceddanne Rafaela and recent acquisition catcher Adley Rutschman have helped lift the offense, which had ranked last in home runs for much of the season.
USA Today identified Boston as the new American League pennant favorite, reflecting the rapid shift in performance and the team’s current standing at the top of the league.