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By Keagan Stiefel
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The Boston Red Sox can do no wrong…
Boston, for those of you who haven’t been paying attention, has outscored opponents 179-88 while going 27-4 since July 1 — far and away the best scoring differential and record in all of baseball. It’s as good a run as we’ve ever seen, with the one-time basement dwellers now occupying the top spot in the American League Wild Card.
Anthony Seigler, Caleb Durbin, Jake Bennett, Nick Sogard, and Tyron Guerrero are among the (not-so) well-known names to make contributions for what is looking more and more like a team of destiny as we progress further and further into the season.
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If you didn’t take us seriously earlier, let’s say it again.
The Red Sox can do no wrong…
… until perhaps now.
Boston’s ability to consistently win games despite cycling through minor league depth pieces and relying on unproven starting pitching can’t exactly be explained — with the best explanation being that there’s some weird formula that is working in its favor.
If you have an opportunity to make upgrades, however, there needs to at least be a conversation — which is coming very soon.
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Adley Rutschman, who was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, started his rehab assignment from left wrist discomfort on Saturday. Roman Anthony, the face of the franchise who hasn’t played in three months due to his ever-present finger injury, is now taking batting practice and closer to returning in August than September. Trevor Story, the highest-paid player on the team, expects to start his rehab assignment from sports hernia surgery at some point in August. Curtis Mead, who broke his hand in his second plate appearance with the club, could very well return before the start of the postseason. Franklin Arias, one of the top prospects in all of baseball, is tearing the cover off the ball with Triple-A Worcester.
Did you get all that?
The Red Sox have some decisions to make, with some being much easier than others.
Rutschman and Anthony will return as soon as they’re ready, with catcher and left field being the two least productive spots on the entire team this season. Story and/or Arias is a different conversation, however.
Andruw Monasterio has been the everyday shortstop for much of this run, and while he’s been superb with the bat (.352/.416/.602 with 3 HR, 11 2B, 17 RBI) he’s been equally as terrible with the glove (.971, -3 DRS). If he were some proven commodity, you’d be able to make a more informed decision.
Boston instead has to weigh the pedigree of Story, the recent run of success with Monasterio, and the prospects of Arias.
Anthony Seigler has received the majority of the opportunities at second base, and though he has slashed just .200/.267/.333 across this stretch he has also been a spark plug with two game-tying hits on Thursday. Mead would certainly give them an upgrade with the bat, but there would also come a risk with the downgrade defensively and the lack of familiarity with his teammates/double-play combination.
If it were just one possible change, things would be so much easier. The Red Sox could very well be making changes to half the lineup once the regulars make their way back from injury, however, which is flirting with changing the formula that has been working and setting yourself on a backward path.
I certainly wouldn't want to be the one making that decision...
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