'So Much for Selling:' Red Sox's Hot Streak Has Put MLB on Notice

If you're a fan of the Boston Red Sox, you've likely seen a significant shift in the organization over the last few weeks, to say the least.

There isn't a hotter team in baseball right now than Boston. The Red Sox carried a nine-game winning streak heading into the All-Star break and won 14 of their final 16 games before the break, which started with a four-game sweep of the New York Yankees.

The Red Sox are cooking with gas right now and are just a half-game out of a playoff spot. All of a sudden, the perception around the club is very cheery, as opposed to the doom and gloom that followed after Boston lost two out of three against the Colorado Rockies before the four-game Yankees series. It's palpable and isn't just something that has been felt among Red Sox fans. Rather than being talked about as one of the biggest potential sellers in baseball, the conversation has shifted. So much so that an anonymous "National League evaluator" told The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey that Boston should go "all-in" rather than selling.

The Red Sox Have Changed The Conversation

Dec 9, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow speaks with the media at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

“So much for selling; they have to be all-in,” said one National League evaluator to McCaffrey,

Three weeks ago, this wasn't the case. When it came to Boston, the biggest topic of conversation was where guys like Aroldis Chapman and Sonny Gray would go in a trade. ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel gave All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman a 90 percent chance of being traded before the deadline. Gray noted that he'd be "open" to a conversation with the Red Sox about potentially waiving his no-trade clause. Reports surfaced indicating that the Atlanta Braves are among the teams that wanted Gray.

But things have changed. Now, there's optimism. The Red Sox proved over the last few weeks that they can stack up wins based on great pitching, great defense, and timely offense. The offense still isn't great, but it has been better than it was, and that's all that matters. Now, all of a sudden, the thought around this club is that they can get even better as injured guys, like Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony, get healthier. Plus, the deadline is coming and Boston hasn't been afraid to make a splash in the trade market.

The anonyous evaluator isn't wrong. Boston shouldn't been done when it was 14 games under .500. But the American League has been so bad this season that the Red Sox are right back in the mix. It's anyone's guess who is going to get through the American League this season. The Red Sox's pitching is good enough to beat anyone. If they add a big-time bat, the chances of Boston getting through the American aren't zero.

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