Alex Cora, Red Sox Aware AL East Hopes Fading As Rays’ Roll Continues

The Red Sox have a very important series against the Rays beginning Monday, and it has the potential for the American League East to either be out of reach or within reach by time it concludes.

Boston is a season-high eight games back of Tampa Bay for the top spot in the division, but have a 2 1/2 game lead over the Oakland Athletics for the second Wild Card spot. So while the playoffs still are a possibility, it’s unclear just how close the Red Sox will be able to get in order to claim the No. 1 spot.

But with 30 games left, Alex Cora isn’t thinking about the future.

“They’ve done an amazing job lately separating themselves from us,” Cora said over Zoom. “It’s still there because we have seven games against them. But at the same time, you have to be realistic. You gotta start playing better baseball for that to happen. We’ll take it day by day. That’s something, with everything that’s been going on, is a reminder that we better stay in the present instead of looking back or looking at the future. Show up today, play a good game, win a game. If we can do that four days straight now, you can ask me that question again on Friday.”

The Red Sox are in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak with three players confirmed to have tested positive, as well as strength coach Kiyoshi Momose. Matt Barnes was placed on the COVID-19 injured list about 10 minutes prior to first pitch Monday night.

At the end of the day, Cora and Co. just need to win one game at a time and focus on staying afloat in a tough division.