Red Sox: 3 takeaways from ceremonial series split with Yankees

The Boston Red Sox pulled off a series split with the Yankees at Fenway Park on Sunday night. It felt like a ceremonial swing for Boston.

A 6-2 lead turned into an 11-6 deficit the Yankees couldn’t climb their way out of on national television. To all in Boston, it was another ceremonial moment proving perhaps, once and for all, the Yankees are human.

New York had been and perhaps still is on a historic regular-season pace. There will be moments of triumph, and those of despair such as what Sunday night offered. Aroldis Chapman took the defeat and New York’s pitching looked quite flawed, though the overall season numbers thus far would argue with you.

These two storied rivals could be bound for another postseason series down the road. Here’s what we learned:

Red Sox vs Yankees: Boston can overcome deficits

Belief is everything. While it came as no surprise to any self-loathing New York baseball fans that this iteration of the Sox was exactly like its predecessors, the Yanks bullpen has looked borderline untouchable at times this year so please, forgive them for not learning from history.

Despite trailing for the vast majority of the series itself, Boston was able to save a series split. What does this mean? Well, the Sox know they can come back on this iteration of the Yanks bullpen. No lead is safe, nor should it be come playoff time.

Red Sox vs Yankees: Boston’s pitching isn’t even healthy

The Sox, like most teams in baseball right now, are struggling with pitching injuries heading into the All-Star break. Once the likes of Chris Sale and Nathan Eovaldi come off the injured list, players who have become true Yankees enemies will be available to perhaps slay the giant.

Boston remains 14 games back in the division, and any comeback on that front is a long shot. But, a playoff matchup could be looming between these two if the chips fall the right way.

Red Sox vs Yankees: Boston isn’t going anywhere

If the weekend set proved anything, it’s that these Red Sox aren’t going anywhere. Even Xander Bogaerts and the Boston clubhouse doubted whether they could make the Yankees sweat.

Yet, that’s exactly what they did.