Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Boston Red Sox are only three games back of the final AL Wild Card spot despite a 42-48 record.
- A recent 10-2 stretch has reignited playoff hopes and could force the front office to buy at the trade deadline.
- Three specific moves could dramatically shift Boston's playoff odds this season.
Evidently, the Boston Red Sox didn’t get the memo that their hopes of a second straight postseason appearance were supposed to have evaporated.
The Red Sox have won 10 of 12, with Wednesday’s 5-0 victory over the White Sox giving them a five-game winning streak. Despite being 42-48, the Red Sox are only three games back of the Rangers for the American League’s third and final Wild Card seed.
We’ve spent weeks, if not months, expecting the Red Sox to sell at the trade deadline. However, if Craig Breslow and the front office believe that this recent surge is worth capitalizing on, perhaps we’ll actually see Boston buy and upgrade the roster.
Outside of staying healthy, what can the Red Sox do to give them the best chance at making the playoffs? Let’s start off with a move that feels inevitable, whether it’s in July or the offseason.
The Red Sox must finally end the Jarren Duran era
Duran’s number is up, and a trade would mark a disappointing — but necessary — conclusion to his Red Sox tenure. He’s hitting below the Mendoza Line, and, frankly, his 13 home runs mean nothing when he has a .622 OPS. Add in Duran’s multiple interactions with fans and media, and you have a situation that feels untenable, especially with him under team control through 2029.
The good news for the Red Sox is that Duran lacks a no-trade clause. Given his power stroke and speed, there has to be at least one club believing they can help Duran get back on track. But if the Red Sox are serious about securing a Wild Card berth, then moving on from Duran is the way to go.
Daniel Lynch IV could be a massive bullpen addition
Don’t feel bad if you’re unfamiliar with Lynch, a sixth-year reliever for the Royals. The 29-year-old lefty has quietly notched a 2.41 ERA in 37 ⅓ innings, and he’s dropped his home run rate from 2.8% to 1.3%. Unsurprisingly, he excels against lefties, who are hitting only .138 with a .385 OPS and two extra-base hits in 70 plate appearances. That’ll certainly do for any team eyeing a playoff berth.
Lynch is under team control through 2029, and it’d be hard to fault the Royals if they’re hesitant to trade him. But if Kansas City’s front office is already viewing 2027 as a transition year, then maximizing an older reliever’s value is absolutely a smart play.
Veteran catcher Ryan Jeffers is an excellent fit for the Red Sox
Nearly two months after breaking a hamate bone in his left hand, Jeffers is on the verge of rejoining the Twins. He’s spent the last few days on a rehab assignment at Triple-A St. Paul and could be back in the big-league lineup for this weekend’s series against the lowly Angels.
Jeffers hit .295 with seven home runs, 26 RBIs, and a career-high .949 OPS before the injury. He's reached base at a .408 clip, and his 15.5% strikeout rate is easily his best since debuting in 2020. Jeffers has cut his strikeout rate down each of the last three years, so this doesn’t feel like a fluke.
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