might not feel like it, but the Red Sox are still very much in the playoff hunt. The expansion of the Wild Card to..."/> might not feel like it, but the Red Sox are still very much in the playoff hunt. The expansion of the Wild Card to..."/>
Chowder and Champions
Fansided

3 Must-Win Series for the Red Sox in August

By Isaiah De Los Santos

May 19, 2023; San Diego, California, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher James Paxton (65) throws a pitch in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-USA TODAY Sports
May 19, 2023; San Diego, California, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher James Paxton (65) throws a pitch in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next

2. vs. Royals (Aug. 7-10)

A series win over Toronto would give Boston some great momentum heading into a mouth-watering matchup with the Royals. The Red Sox get to stay at Fenway and face the Kansas City Royals for four games, and they need to take advantage of this lowly club.

Absolutely nothing has gone right for the Royals this year, who own the second-worst record in the entire majors. They’re dreadful on offense, ranking second-last in runs and third-last in OPS. They’ve been just as terrible on the mound, as their pitchers have combined for the third-highest ERA in the majors while allowing the sixth-highest batting average and OPS to opponents.

After all, this is a team whose “ace” Brady Singer currently has a 5.46 ERA. And they tore down their already-weak pitching corps even further at the deadline by trading away starter Ryan Yarbrough and closer Scott Barlow for prospects.

We all know Boston’s had its struggles in 2023, but this series is a gimme! You know what playoff teams do? Beat non-playoff teams. Kansas City is a quintessential cupcake opponent that helps prop up contenders’ records.

Simply put, splitting this series would be a disappointment. The Red Sox have the talent to handle the Royals with ease. Taking three, or even four games here would provide a nice cushion, especially considering Boston has seven contests against Houston in August alone.

Home/Boston Red Sox