Red Sox ‘Confident’ Entering Series Against Banged-Up Blue Jays

If there was ever a time for the Boston Red Sox to make up some ground in the American League Wild Card standings, it’s this weekend.

The Red Sox will host the Blue Jays for a three-game series at Fenway Park, kicking things off with a matchup Friday night. It will be the start of a 10-game homestand for Boston, in which it will take on the team directly in front of them in the wild card race (Toronto) and a pair of AL Central basement dwellers (Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers).

The 10-day stretch is paramount if Boston wants to put itself in a good position to gain one of the three wild card spots, and Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers knows it.

“We’re very confident,” Devers said, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. “We’ve been playing good baseball against (the Blue Jays) and we’re looking forward to this weekend. We’re very happy to be able to go back home and play a 10-game homestand. That’s our home and we’re going to do everything that we can to win most of the games.”

Devers has good reason to be confident, as things seem to be coming up Red Sox entering the homestand. Trevor Story is expected to make his long-awaited return at some point over the weekend, while Chris Sale, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck are all expected back by Boston’s next road trip.

The Blue Jays received quite the blow before flying to Boston, as well, placing All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette on the injured list with patellar tendinitis. That means Red Sox pitchers will avoid the AL batting leader. They’ll also face Alek Manoah, who has had a dreadful season, in the opener.

We’ll learn a lot about the Red Sox over the course of the next week and a half.