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It is very difficult to enter a season without much hype and still find a way to get fans' hopes up. The Boston Red Sox (69-64) were picked to finish either near or at the bottom of the American League East by many but still managed to suck the Fenway Faithful into their ill-fated playoff push.
That is not meant as a complete criticism. This team deserves plenty of credit for exceeding expectations and breathing new life into a franchise that looked directionless heading into 2023. Whether the future is bright remains to be seen, but there are at least multiple players who can now reasonably be included in the front office's long-term plan.
Therefore, the 2023 campaign could prove to be a major turning point and a precursor to sustained success. But potential prosperity does little to ease present qualms about the Sox and the organization. Patience runs thin in big markets with passionate fan bases like Boston. The postseason was an attainable goal going into August. With the calendar about to turn to September, that can no longer really be said. At least not with the same conviction or enthusiasm. The X account Lost In Boston Sports put it best.
The Red Sox season. pic.twitter.com/NiPvfk3HRh
— Lost In Boston Sports (@LostBoston1) August 30, 2023
The club had multiple marquee matchups throughout this month and stumbled nearly every step of the way. It now trails the Houston Astros by a daunting six-and-a-half games for the final American League Wild Card spot. Boston might actually possess the talent to launch a magical run in September, but there is an underlying problem that is holding the franchise back in 2023.
While you may want to maintain an optimistic outlook, we are going to break down the one fatal flaw that will keep the Red Sox out of the postseason for the fourth time in five years.
Inconsistency is their downfall
It is completely fair to consider a lack of pitching depth as the team's biggest weakness. Fans desperately waited months for Chris Sale, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck to return from the injured list. They have each endured struggles since coming back, so the problem remains. But you could still realistically see them and the other Sox hurlers rising to the occasion on a given night.
The broader issue preventing this team from soaring to one of the three Wild Card positions is that Boston can't seem to bring everything together when it needs to most. When pitchers are dealing, the bats go silent, and vice versa. Specifically, when stakes are at their highest in 2023, the Red Sox have been unable to prevail.
Look no further than this entire month. A three-game home series versus the Toronto Blue Jays, a team they were 7-0 against this year heading into Aug. 4, was a critical opportunity to gain ground in the standings. A sweep ensued. They took advantage of a soft part of the schedule and inched their way back into postseason contention before beginning the most difficult stretch of the season- 10 games against the Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Boston is 3-6 with one more battle against Houston on Wednesday. Those who have been engrossed in the 2023 Red Sox narrative should have expected this gut-punch. A melancholy beginning followed by a triumphant middle (destroyed Astros 17-1 to split series last week) culminating with a frightening end that stays with you (outscored 26-11 in last three games).
Red Sox are stuck in same pattern
The lowest point during this potentially season-defining slate of games was probably Monday's implosion, which many interpreted as a cease-fire from Alex Cora. With only three total relievers available, per the manager himself, he entrusted Kyle Barraclough with his club clinging to a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning. The move backfired, as Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez lifted the defending World Series champions to an 8-4 lead. With the game seemingly out of reach, Cora left the poor guy out to be bombarded the rest of the painful evening.
If the Sox can pull out a win at the end of this homestand, they travel to the 41-93 Kansas City Royals for a weekend set. There is a chance you get pulled back in again. Proceed with extreme caution, though, because six games with the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles are to follow. And so the same agonizing cycle continues.
Boston can break its bad habits at the eleventh hour and give fans an exhilarating last couple weeks of the season. But one might have to just accept that these inconsistencies are reflective of an 84 or 85-win team.
This is what the Red Sox are, a group who can go on torrid runs but is just not deep or healthy enough to sustain momentum. All of this means that more uncertainty will loom above the city and organization heading into what feels like an extremely important 2024.
