One game, lost by what is still a bad team, obscures all the accomplishments by a good team that might be struggling a bit, but is still standing tall.
Welcome to fall, where, since the advent of the Belichick-Brady super dynasty, the Patriots move and the Earth spins off its axis. That may have been justified 20 years ago, but not now. There is no evidence that suggests we need to leap to attention whenever the Patriots play. On the other hand, we should follow, and appreciate, the team that lifted itself off the mat and fought to rescue its season.
Three months ago, the Red Sox were moribund. They were playing bad baseball, and slugger Rafael Devers, allegedly, was doing his best Fletcher Christian impersonation. Then came a sweep of the New York Yankees at Fenway, with the Devers trade to the Giants spoiling the euphoria.
The Red Sox played their worst stretch of baseball after that trade, making GM Craig Breslow look idiotic when he said the team would do better without its slugger.
Since early July though, as Dustin Pedroia once said, “laser show.” They went 17-6 in July, 17-11 in August and – so far – 4-3 in September. They are second in the Wild Card standings, a game behind the Yankees, and only three back of the first-place Blue Jays. And they have games remaining against both teams.
The Red Sox have one thing going for them they didn’t have in 2011, when that famous September swoon cost Terry Francona – easily their best manager since probably Joe Cronin – his job. That is a genuine, lights-out starter in Garrett Crochet. I don’t know why he’s not even mentioned when talk begins about the Cy Young award. Crochet pitched his best when the Red Sox needed a true ace.
They have two solid pitchers behind Crochet too: Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello. There will be no collapse. They may not make the playoffs. This month’s schedule includes division games against Tampa Bay, Toronto and New York, and concludes with the Detroit Tigers. There will be no soft landing. The Sox will have to earn this.
First and foremost, they’re going to need more than Alex Bregman is giving them. If he’s still that injured, then Alex Cora has a tough decision. Without Roman Anthony in the lineup, the Red Sox cannot afford Bregman’s slumping bat. Hats off to him for making the attempt, but it appears as if he’s really hurting.
Jarren Duran looks as if he’s waking up after going through a period of slumber. That’s excellent. They need him. He is a special weapon in the offensive scheme of things because his speed is irreplaceable.
And while Ceddanne Rafaela is definitely worth the price of admission, his hitting could be a lot more consistent – though he’s definitely turned into a tough out. Plus, he’s had his share of dramatic moments at the plate.
Until Bregman shows signs of coming out of his slump, the Sox still have too many players who look like Mario Mendoza at the plate. When this team goes through prolonged hitting slumps, you can point to that. Right now, there’s no Anthony, no Wilyer Abreu, a diminished Bregman, and a whole lot of David Hamiltons.
Back in June, I think I was among the majority of frustrated Red Sox fans who wanted Trevor Story escorted onto an airplane and flown anywhere far, far from Fenway. Now? Is he not the team MVP? He certainly is. Of any player on this team, he picked up the gauntlet thrown down to the veteran players when Devers got traded.
His own rebirth parallels the team’s. Every time the Red Sox have needed him to come through, he has – making great plays in the field along with clutch hitting.
And speaking of rebirths, I saved the best for last. Aroldis Chapman. These days, that’s a sentence in itself. You need say no more if you’re a Red Sox fan.
Sunday, he blew away four Diamondbacks on strikes in the ninth (a wild pitch spoiled one of them) to save what may turn out to be among the most important wins of the season. Right now, he’s unhittable. Sure, you cannot be positive of a pitcher’s ability. We have Dennis Eckersley as proof of that. But isn’t it a relief to know that with him throwing BBs at 100 mph, you probably won’t have to sweat out the ninth inning?
This team is not the reincarnation of the 2018 Red Sox. It has flaws, as I’ve pointed out. There are going to be days you’re not very optimistic going in. But more often than not, they go into any game with those three pitchers (Crochet, Giolito, and Bello) on the mound with a lot more than a puncher’s chance. That will make them difficult to beat.
And dare we say it? Breslow may have the last laugh in 2025. I hope it’s a true belly laugh, too.
