Two weeks ago, the Boston Red Sox looked like a team that should be selling off pieces by the August 3 trade deadline. They were dead last in the AL East, the offense was barely breathing, and phenom Roman Anthony had been out for over two months with a hand injury. Alex Bregman was gone. Losing at Fenway had become routine.
Then something weird happened. The Red Sox lost two of three to the Colorado Rockies — the worst team in the National League — and it was like somebody flipped a switch.
They swept four straight from the Yankees. Then lost two of three to the Nationals, which looked like a return to reality. But instead of collapsing, Boston ripped off nine straight wins before the All-Star break, sweeping three consecutive three-game series against the Angels, the White Sox, and the Mets. That little surge includes a sweep of a White Sox team that’s tied for first in the AL Central and has been dominant at home.
Suddenly the Red Sox sit half a game out of the third Wild Card spot. The division still feels out of reach — they’re ten games back — but the Wild Card is right there.
The shift from seller to buyer
Nobody’s ready to crown this team. The Angels and Mets are bad. But winning nine straight on the road is something most teams can’t do. And it sent a message: the Red Sox aren’t going to quietly fold.
Owner John Henry was reportedly unhappy with the product before the Yankees series. Having a last-place team wasn’t something he was willing to stomach. Whether he lit a fire or the players just woke up, the result is the same. Boston has to buy now.
But buying means finding hitters, and that’s where things get interesting.
Gleyber Torres makes too much sense
The Red Sox have been piecing together their infield with Anthony Seigler, Tsung-Che Cheng, a banged-up Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, and Andruw Monasterio. That’s not going to cut it for a team with playoff aspirations. Trevor Story and Marcelo Mayer are both hurt.
Enter Gleyber Torres. The Tigers second baseman is currently out with an oblique strain but could be back shortly after the break. He’s a two-time All-Star with legitimate power, including a 38-homer season in 2019. This is a nine-year veteran who has played in big markets and big moments.
The Red Sox just made a small deal with Detroit for Jahmai Jones, an outfielder the Tigers had designated for assignment. Jones had a good 2025 but has struggled badly this season. That could be a warm-up act for something bigger involving Torres.
Breslow needs to deliver
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has taken a lot of heat this season. Fans pointed at him for not adding enough offensive talent and for letting Bregman walk. He built a solid pitching staff, sure, but that alone doesn’t sell tickets or win games in October.
Now that the Red Sox are back in the mix, Breslow has a chance to change the narrative. One or two bats — especially a middle infielder who can drive the ball — could flip the final two and a half months from a lame-duck stretch into something real. Something worth watching.
He needs to get it done. For the fans, for the roster, and for his own job security.
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