After a red-hot July that saw them go 21-4 and tie a franchise record with a 15-game winning streak, the Boston Red Sox suddenly came back down to earth, losing five in a row between Aug. 8-12 (against the Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays, no less) and losing a series to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
They obviously didn't look like their best selves, and that was probably for a variety of reasons (injuries - particularly to the bullpen-, everybody being fatigued, and going through the natural ups and downs). But a lot of fans panicked, and I thought that was a little excessive.
It's too early to definitely say the Red Sox are back, but they're at least close to it if their recent performances have been any indication.
The Red Sox may be finding their groove once again
Boston is now the winner of five of its last seven games, including its last two at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks by a total score of 20-5.
One mini hot streak isn't going to automatically prove that the Red Sox are set to go on another run, but it's at least a promising sight for fans and is proof that they should still be considered legitimate contenders.
With a little over a month left in the regular season, the Red Sox are 68-58. They are 2.5 games back of the New York Yankees for the first AL Wild Card spot (and 7.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the division lead - it's unlikely they will jump up this high in the standings, but crazier things have happened) and six games ahead of the Texas Rangers for the third spot.
There are still some concerns for Boston, mostly related to the pitchers' injuries and workload, but fans should feel confident in the team's outlook. Plus, the team will likely get some reinforcements soon in Roman Anthony, Garrett Crochet (though it will likely be in a reduced role), and Trevor Story.
The Red Sox are ultimately playing for October
This Red Sox team has turned into something special, and fans shouldn't feel too discouraged during the team's slumps.
As it stands, they are in a great spot to make some noise in the playoffs. And they have the pitching, hitting, and fielding to separate themselves from the rest of the pack, especially in the American League.
Hopefully for the Red Sox, they can end the season strong and gain some momentum as they look to make their first World Series appearance in eight years.
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