The MLB trade deadline passed Tuesday, and the Red Sox will put their focus for the rest of the season on clinching an American League wild-card spot.
Boston filled its needs before the deadline by adding a right-handed bat (Danny Jansen), a solid starter (James Paxton) and two relievers to bolster the bullpen. The other contenders for the AL wild card also made huge moves, which makes every game and series important for Alex Cora’s side down the stretch.
After Tuesday’s loss to the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park, the Red Sox were two games behind the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals. They had +178 odds to make the playoffs and -240 to miss the playoffs at FanDuel Sportsbook. Those odds are +210 to make the playoffs and -250 to miss the playoffs at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Those odds leave Boston on the outside looking in with the Twins and Royals projected to hang on to their spots. That will depend on whether Minnesota’s star trio Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis can stay healthy. Kansas City did upgrade its pitching staff before the deadline and added some power to the lineup with Paul DeJong.
The New York Yankees also made splash moves to upgrade their pitching staff and added another bat in the addition of Jazz Chisholm Jr. They were 4 1/2 games ahead for the top wild-card spot and are projected to remain in that spot while competing with the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East crown.
Boston’s other contender for an AL wild-card spot is the runner-up in the AL West. The Mariners made a big trade for Randy Arozarena, and the Houston Astros paid a premium for Yusei Kikuchi. They’ll remain competitive for the rest of the season, so it will be up to the Red Sox to remain healthy and stay hot to make it back to October baseball.
