The Red Sox just swept the Mets to head into the All-Star break on a nine-game winning streak. Having won 13 of their last 15 games, they now sit just a half-game back of the final American League Wild Card spot.
I covered the additional Wild Card spot changing the calculus for which teams are buyers and sellers at the deadline, and the fact that the Red Sox may win themselves into a potentially worse situation by holding onto assets, in my Dead Tradeline column last week:
While they have found some momentum lately, including a recent sweep of the Yankees, they have no business considering themselves buyers at this deadline. But the slim possibility of a returning Crochet and Anthony, along with Craig Breslow’s desperation to save his general manager job, could have them thinking twice at the deadline three weeks from now.
The Red Sox need to sell, starting with Sonny Gray, Aroldis Chapman, and Jarren Duran. Restocking the cupboard that has borne less fruit than expected with the triumvirate of Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Kristian Campbell—from varying degrees of disappointment to disaster—should be the priority. The faltering young core has them much further away from a championship window than it appeared just four months ago.
While I commend the team for overcoming significant adversity and elevating their level of play, not acquiring future assets to build around an already struggling young core could cost the team over the next five years. But hey, if they win a World Series, it would be worth it.
Now, you could consider this the ultimate Red Sox fan reaction: being upset even while they ride a nine-game winning streak and sweep both New York franchises in consecutive weeks. The issue is that Boston has such deep institutional and developmental flaws that nothing short of Craig Breslow getting fired—and, ideally, Fenway Sports Group selling the team—can fix them.
Their current odds to win it all, even sitting just a half-game back, are 35/1 on FanDuel. Breslow may see a path to short-term success that saves his job, but it could end up costing the Red Sox a brighter future.