Red Sox Trying to Make AL East a Five-Team Race

The Boston Red Sox are trying to get back into the American League East race to make it a five-team race. For the past 13 years, 95 wins or more were needed to win the AL East. Boston won 98 in 2004 and finished three games behind the New York Yankees.

The last time the AL East was short of that was in 2000 when the Yankees won 87 games and Boston was 2 ½ games back. Currently, as Boston reaches the mathematical midpoint of the season at seven games under .500 it stands just six games from first place, with all indications that the winner of the division will have between 85 and 90 wins at season’s end.

The Yankees are tied with the Baltimore Orioles at the top of the division and are on a pace to win 86 games. Toronto and Tampa Bay are on a pace to have 84 wins, while the Red Sox are looking at 74 wins.

However, after winning 2 of 3 from Tampa Bay last week and three of four during the week from Toronto, the Red Sox become a long shot to win the division after being considered a lost cause much of the first half.

Only four teams however have come from a record of seven games below .500 at this point of the season to reach the postseason. The last time to do it was the 1984 Kansas City Royals.

If 90 wins are needed to take the AL East crown Boston would have to finish their season 53-28 in the second half. Since baseball in 1961 went to a schedule of 162 games, there had been just one season where Boston did that when they were 54-27.

However, back then Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield, Pedro Martinez, Derrick Low and Bronson Arroyo were in the rotation. Currently the Boston rotation has Clay Buchholz, Eduardo Rodriguez a rookie, Justin Masterson, Wade Miley and Rick Porcello.

However, it seems as if the offense of the Red Sox has finally awoken from his 70 plus games of sleep. Of late, the Boston batting order has done the trick without its best  hitter Dustin Pedroia.

David Ortiz found his home run stroke again, Hanley Ramirez is on pace to hit 32 home runs, Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts are coming around, Pablo Sandoval has settled in to Fenway, Brock Holt is hitting very well and Blake Swihart is doing well behind the plate.

Therefore, it looks like with some strong pitching from the rotation in the second half the Red Sox could become part of a crazy five-team race for the AL East title.