Winning solves a lot of problems. Just ask the Boston Red Sox.
The team secured its seventh straight victory in the first of a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.
Now all of a sudden, the Red Sox are 7-3 and in first place in the American League East standings, though most projections doomed them to a trying season.
But despite the turnover and last year's struggles, Boston has pulled things together thus far. And if the Red Sox look like a completely different team, manager Alex Cora says it's because the players feel like they're playing a different game.
"One thing for sure, we had a lot of new people here right? But I think the guys that were here last year, it wasn’t fun for them," Cora said. "They put in the work to keep getting better and keep winning ballgames. It’s a testament to them. Last year it was tough to watch, it was tough for them that were here. Now, it’s still early, but they can see the talent we have, and what we are doing, it’s fun for them again. Baseball is fun again."
Cora isn't the first member of the Red Sox to mention this.
Even ahead of Opening Day, starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi revealed that with the players actually allowed to congregate in the clubhouse this season as COVID-19 restrictions have lessened, chemistry has blossomed as a result.
And now with fans back at Fenway Park and other baseball stadiums around the country, another layer has been added to that.
"Because we have fans," pitcher MartÃn Pérez said after his start when asked about the team's morale. "I know we don't have a full stadium, but some at point going to have it. It's fun when you go out and there and you have the fans supporting you. When you see the fans, you're just going to go out there and give it 100%, do your best, and try to make the fans have fun."
The Red Sox have three more games against the Twins to get them through to the weekend, and if they can win their third straight series, Boston fans will continue to have a blast.
