BOSTON — The most dangerous teams often are those with nothing to lose. Meet the 2015 Red Sox.
Torey Lovullo, God love him, probably went a bit overboard Friday night by suggesting the Red Sox still could make the playoffs. But what else was the acting manager supposed to say? And you know what? The reinvigorated Red Sox are playing like they truly believe there’s something to be gained down the stretch, even if the developments don’t culminate with Boston punching its ticket to the postseason.
“I feel like we, as a group, have a lot to prove,” Lovullo said before Saturday’s game against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park. “We’re all being evaluated on a daily basis, and as these guys are coming together, it’s a lot of fun to watch them play.
“I think the expectations every day are that we’re going to go out and win baseball games. And who knows? Anything can happen.”
Anything can happen, sure. And with the Red Sox playing well, it’s harder to dismiss them entirely. The Sox technically have a 0.9 percent chance of earning an American League wild card spot, according to FanGraphs, but a successful homestand makes Boston’s odds seem closer to the 2 or 3 percent range.
Either way, we all probably can agree it’s a long shot — to put it mildly — that the Red Sox will make the playoffs this season. But preparation for 2016 is underway, especially since Dave Dombrowski was hired as the new president of baseball operations earlier this week, and Boston’s young guns are giving reason to believe that next season will be different, regardless of whatever offseason moves are made. A solid core is emerging and breathing new life into the organization. The clubhouse atmosphere has changed.
“I think these younger players finally have gained a little traction. They’re starting to get a good feel for what it takes to be a major league player,” Lovullo said. “Some of the guys that have been here all year, some of the guys that are joining us, there’s really good continuity, there’s a really good vibe that these players create.
“They like one another, they get a long on and off the field, and you’re seeing that play out right now. I think that’s why we’re being so successful on the field. I think these guys are having fun playing, playing with a lot of energy and they’re really coming into their own.”
A host of former PawSox have infiltrated Yawkey Way and it’s paying dividends. Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts have been two of Boston’s most productive players all season. Blake Swihart looks more comfortable behind the plate and at the dish each day. Jackie Bradley Jr. finally is hitting. Travis Shaw keeps surprising everyone. Rusney Castillo is on the rise. A group of young pitchers is impressing.
It all might not add up to a playoff berth in 2015, but such progress bodes well for the future. And it definitely solidifies the Red Sox as a dangerous team to face down the stretch.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
