The Red Sox are going through it right now between their COVID-19 outbreak and three-game losing streak.
Boston dropped its Tuesday game to the Tampa Bay Rays to fall to 10 games back of the top place in the American League East.
But Red Sox manager Alex Cora isn't blaming COVID-19 for how his team has performed of late despite having quite the depleted roster.
"I don't think COVID or our situation has to do with sloppy baseball," Cora said Wednesday prior to Boston's game against the Rays. "The fact that we didn't throw to the right base (Tuesday), that doesn't have to do with COVID. ... We've been sloppy for a while and we're paying the price.
"... For us to turn this page we have to do certain things differently."
The Red Sox are clinging to a one-game lead over the Oakland Athletics for the AL's second Wild Card spot, which may be their best bet considering how far they've fallen in the division.
They can begin to right the ship Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. ET.
