The Boston Red Sox traded Rafael Devers on June 15 following a sweep of the rival Yankees, a reassertion that this is, at worst, a Wild Card team in the American League. We can bicker all day (largely because there are merits to many of the arguments on both sides) about what the move means and whether the Red Sox, amid all of the Devers positional drama, were right to make it. However, the one undeniable factor in that as Boston was finally getting hot and climbing back up the MLB standings, is that the timing is baffling.
We will probably never know just how much the relationship between Devers and Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow — as well as manager Alex Cora — truly soured. However, it must've been truly untenable for the organization to trade a supposed franchise cornerstone with 8.5 years remaining on a long-term contract at this point. Boston has been surging up the standings, took 5-of-6 games from the Yankees in the past three overall series (all of which were wins), and now just had a proverbial grenade dropped on their vibes.
You couldn't plan for worse timing, at least from the outside looking in. And to further encapsulate that, you only need to look at the MLB Wild Card standings, specifically looking at how the teams measure up with their record over the last 10 days. The Red Sox have been the best Wild Card contender over that stretch in either the AL or NL, which puts even more complication into the Devers trade.
Note: All records are accurate entering play on Monday, June 16
MLB Wild Card standings ordered by record in the last 10 days
AL Wild Card standings
Team Standings | Record in Last 10 Games | Overall Record (GB) |
|---|---|---|
1. Boston Red Sox | 8-2 | 37-36 (-0.5) |
2. Tampa Bay Rays | 7-3 | 39-32 (+2.5) |
3. Texas Rangers | 7-3 | 36-36 (-1.0) |
4. Toronto Blue Jays | 6-4 | 38-33 (+1.5) |
5. Baltimore Orioles | 6-4 | 30-40 (-6.0) |
6. Athletics | 6-4 | 29-44 (-8.5) |
7. Los Angeles Angels | 5-5 | 33-37 (-3.0) |
8. Seattle Mariners | 4-6 | 36-34 (0) |
9. Chicago White Sox | 4-6 | 23-49 (-14.0) |
10. Minnesota Twins | 2-8 | 36-35 (-0.5) |
11. Cleveland Guardians | 2-8 | 35-35 (-1.0) |
12. Kansas City Royals | 2-8 | 34-38 (-3.0) |
After sweeping the Yankees, the Red Sox are now just a half-game out of the third Wild Card spot, currently occupied by the Seattle Mariners. Coincidentally, that's where Boston is heading to start the week for a three-game set against the M's. So again, it's wild that Devers was taken off the team plane because he was traded when the Red Sox have that kind of momentum right now. It doesn't mean that the Sox are dead in the water, especially with Alex Bregman's looming return and (hopefully) another big subsequent trade deal on the horizon. However, the immediate optics are questionable at best.
Beyond that, though, the other massive takeaway is that the AL Central has completely lost the plot. The AL Wild Card standings were basically led by some order of the Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Guardians, and Kansas City Royals for the first couple months of the season. After each of those teams has now won just two of their last 10 games, though, they've all lost their spot among the three Wild Card teams coming out of the American League. And the eye test hasn't been good either.
One team it feels like is going a bit overlooked, though, is the Texas Rangers. They're tied for the second-best record among AL Wild Card contenders over the last 10 days and are now quietly just one game back of the third spot to get into the playoffs. This team, specifically on offense, felt like it was drastically underperforming and could be due for positive regression. We might be witnessing that right now, which could throw another wrench into this race, especially with 90ish games still left to play if the Rangers get right.
NL Wild Card standings
Team Standings | Record in Last 10 Games | Overall Record (GB) |
|---|---|---|
1. San Francisco Giants | 7-3 | 41-31 (+1.0) |
2. Cincinnati Reds | 7-3 | 37-35 (-3.0) |
3. Arizona Diamondbacks | 6-4 | 36-35 (-3.5) |
4. Pittsburgh Pirates | 6-4 | 29-44 (-11.5) |
5. Philadelphia Phillies | 5-5 | 42-29 (+2.5) |
6. Milwaukee Brewers | 5-5 | 39-34 (-1.5) |
7. Miami Marlins | 5-5 | 28-41 (-10.5) |
8. San Diego Padres | 4-6 | 39-31 (0) |
9. Atlanta Braves | 4-6 | 31-39 (-8.0) |
10. St. Louis Cardinals | 3-7 | 37-35 (-3.0) |
11. Colorado Rockies | 3-7 | 14-57 (-25.5) |
12. Washington Nationals | 1-9 | 30-41 (-9.5) |
On the flip side of the Devers trade, it really starts to make you think about the San Francisco Giants. Not only is this team already in the second Wild Card slot for the National League, but they're tied for the best record among Wild Card teams right now over the last 10 days. Now, they get to add the lefty power bat that the lineup has been missing for a long, long time and have additional flexibility, assumedly, at both first and third base, as well as DH, moving forward. They could conceivably play themselves not just firmly into a Wild Card berth but into the top of the NL West standings over the Dodgers as well.
Elsewhere in the same division, you have to take a long look at the San Diego Padres. This appears to be a team that has gone ice-cold at the worst possible time. The Friars are still clinging to the third NL Wild Card spot for now, but it's for dear life at this point with a sub-.500 record over the last 10 games. Furthermore, with NL Central compatriots, the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers, appearing to find their footing, the Padres could be in quite a bit of danger in terms of conceding their spot.
Unfortunately, though, at least for now, the Wild Card race doesn't look like the St. Louis Cardinals or Atlanta Braves are going to be threats. While the Cards started hot and the Braves decidedly did not, both teams are trending in the wrong direction right now and, frankly, it doesn't seem like either really have a life raft to jump onto at this point.