Before the 2024 MLB season started, the Boston Red Sox were seen as a team transitioning from rebuilding to being true contenders.
That philosophy probably justified their offseason decision to trade away pitcher Chris Sale for infielder Vaughn Grissom, for example.
The season started and the Red Sox looked exactly like that: a team in limbo, trying to contend but limited by their own philosophy.
However, they have been streaking of late and are now getting closer to securing a postseason spot.
Entering play Wednesday, they were actually in possession of the third and last AL Wild Card spot.
They also were within striking distance of the first Wild Card position held by the New York Yankees and just 6.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East lead.
There is a path in which the Red Sox catch up to both of them, provided that the Boston front office gives the team the tools to do so.
“The Red Sox are 3.5 games behind the Yankees for the top wild card. They’re pushing the front office into the buyer’s market. ‘We talked about being greedy a few weeks ago, we saw a window. But I think the window is getting bigger, it’s actually a door,’” The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey tweeted.
The Red Sox are 3.5 games behind the Yankees for the top wild card. They’re pushing the front office into the buyer’s market.
“We talked about being greedy a few weeks ago, we saw a window. But I think the window is getting bigger, it’s actually a door.”https://t.co/WFRyQXFL8S
— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) July 10, 2024
Those remarks belong to Red Sox manager Alex Cora.
Cora is a World Series champion skipper and a man who knows what it takes to compete and contend.
He knows his roster, and with that quote, he is putting pressure on the front office to look for win-now pieces ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.
If the Red Sox are willing to sacrifice a small portion of their future, they actually could become true contenders this season.
Will the front office oblige and give Cora, the players and fans what they want?
