On June 25, the Red Sox were 32-46. The season looked over. Most people had stopped paying attention, and that was a reasonable call.
They ended up becoming the first team in MLB history to lose 46 of their first 78 games and still finish above .500. The 15-game win streak in July—which tied the all-time franchise record—was the moment that flipped it, but it wasn’t just that. Then came August. Then came September. Even with all the ups and downs. They went from 14 games under .500 to 14 games above .500 in 62
days. The only team in MLB history to do it faster was the 1914 Miracle Boston Braves, who got there in 60 days and then swept the World Series.
That’s the company this team is keeping. That’s the thing you just watched.
They clinched it Sunday despite losing 5-1 to Tampa, thanks to the Astros losing to Atlanta. The magic number hit zero in a visiting clubhouse, against a team that seemingly has the division all wrapped up. Back-to-back postseason berths for the first time since the 2016-2018 run. 85-72. Wild card.
How vindicated must Craig Breslow feel? After firing Alex Cora and crew in late April, NO ONE had any hope this team could do anything. They changed the entire ethos around this ballclub in one fell swoop and are actually starting to accomplish the mission Breslow came to Boston to achieve: sustained success.
The October questions are coming—lineup depth, roster decisions, whether this group can actually win a series when it matters. All of it. But that’s not what today is. This week is for the people who were still watching in June when this looked done.
Red Sox are in. That’s all they need.
