The Red Sox certainly don’t have much to play for the rest of the way, and moral victories really don’t have a place in professional sports, especially in a city like Boston.
However, there is the slightest consolation in the fact that Boston can throw a monkey wrench into the American League playoff race, especially when it comes to their AL East rivals. They’ve already helped continue the Rays’ freefall by beating them on Monday night. It was the first game of the final 15-game stretch of the season in which the Sox will only play the Rays, Orioles and Yankees — three teams that are still in contention for playoff spots.
It’s not the same as contending for one of those playoff spots, but at least it’s something.
