The Boston Red Sox are in a tough spot with less than two months left to play in the regular season.
With their backs against the wall, the Red Sox had a picture-perfect opportunity to better their playoff chances, but came up very short. Boston dropped three in a row to the Toronto Blue Jays, setting the team back five games in the American League Wild Card race. The series hit an all-time low, according to Red Sox skipper Alex Cora after it was suggested that outfielder Alex Verdugo wasn't available, leading to an abrupt removal from the lineup in Game 2.
But, rest assured, both team members are putting Saturday in the rearview mirror with greater stakes in place for the Red Sox in the final stretch of 2023.
"There's expectations here," Cora told MLB Network Radio on Monday. "When you don't fulfill that, then it costs us one day and we cannot do that. In a tough division, we're in a tough race for the wild card and we need everybody to be ready for it, and on Saturday that wasn't the case. I know the player, he showed up yesterday, he had a good game, which is very important for us. He kind of like moved forward and we moved forward too."
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Boston didn't help its playoff hopes by getting swept by a Toronto team it had already beaten seven consecutive times previously, but it also didn't put the nail in the coffin.
At this point in the season, the entire clubhouse needs to be dialed in if the Red Sox intend on avoiding a second straight last-place finish in the American League East. Boston has overcome injuries, including ones to several key players, hampering the team in various areas.
But again, the Red Sox are still in it.
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The postseason isn't a guarantee, but neither is an early season end just yet.
Featured image via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
