After one of the worst losses in franchise history against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park on Friday, the Boston Red Sox could use some optimism.
Fortunately, the utter beatdown by the hand of the Blue Jays is not stopping one national writer from backing Boston while predicting which teams will make the postseason.
"It has been a roller coaster for Sox fans so far: They'd written their team off early, rejoiced in their recovery and then lamented their recent struggles (and the loss of Chris Sale)," MLB.com's Will Leitch wrote Saturday. "But the view here is that they'll have just enough to earn the No. 6 seed and play three games against the AL Central winner -- a very winnable series, for what it’s worth."
Given the strength of the Houston Astros and the entire American League East, punching a ticket to the postseason with a spot against the American League Central winner is the best card to be dealt. With the New York Yankees and Astros nearly locks to finish with the top records in baseball, the No. 3 seed will almost certainly go to the AL Central champs.
Leitch projects the Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays to join the postseason from the division, with the Chicago White Sox claiming the Central crown and the Astros obviously coming out of the West.
While things seem bleak in Boston right now, the Red Sox sit just three games back of a Wild Card spot. If they can be 70% of what they were in June the rest of the way, they should be playoff bound. The Red Sox limped into the postseason a year ago and came up just two wins shy of a World Series birth. It's far too early to give up on this team, no matter how frustrating they can be to watch right now.
