The AL playoff race, despite the last two or so spots being in question, is solidified bracket-wise. We know the Rays have a bye, and we know the likely winner of the AL Central will have a bye, probably the White Sox. And we know that the winner of the AL West will play the third wild card team, which means right now that it'll be Astros-Guardians, unless the Guardians win the division, then it'll be Astros-White Sox, unless the Astros somehow get the other bye, in which case it'll be Guardians-White Sox again. Far more boring. Let's keep the Astros from getting a bye, they don't really deserve one.
All that said, what's been made very clear, despite the inefficiency of the other two divisions' leaders, is that the Yankees and Red Sox not only have the first two wild card spots essentially locked up, but they will be playing each other. At this rate, no amount of shitting the bed will bring the Guardians, or even the Blue Jays, Rangers or Orioles, any closer to the AL East scrum. So there we are again. Second year in a row, Yanks-Sox first round of the playoffs, when logically it could be an ALDS matchup or an ALCS matchup.
That's how out of whack the AL is. The Red Sox are the third best team in the AL East, and they're not favored to advance, and they're still better than all the other AL teams. Which means...if they wanted to, and they absolutely will not do this...but they could throw the last two weeks of the season. Lose their last few games. Win the occasional one to stay on pace. And ensure someone else gets that 2 seed. Then, they piledrive the Astros, ensuring I don't have to watch a Sox-Stros ALCS this year, and then get a top seeded team and make their way up through there. I do get that the fun of it is watching someone like the Astros, Guardians or White Sox build momentum and become a deep playoff team, but I really don't want to see the Astros do that again. It's happened enough times. The Rangers technically could lap them but...do you see the Rangers doing that this year? I'd love to, but they've been in 'keel over and die' formation for 2 months now.
Anyway. The Red Sox, provided they don't tank for a better seeding, will have to play the Yankees in the playoffs, and it will be close. Right now, even if the momentum has slowed slightly, the Sox still have a lot going for them. Payton Tolle has only gotten stronger, with an immaculate inning denoting his latest knockout start, aside from his 3 ERA and 166 Ks. Sonny Gray once again looks like a viable postseason starter, with 17 wins; so does Ranger Suarez, with a 3.33 ERA and 130 Ks. Aroldis Chapman's once again a closing success, and Garrett Withlock is once again one of the most effective relief specialists in the game. Guys like IKF, Mickey Gasper, Nick Sogard and Jahmai Jones are providing small roles and big moments. You're even seeing Trevor Story slowly get things rolling once again as the everyday shortstop.
My main problem with this team right now is the lack of a central key piece. You'd think it'd be Willson Contreras right now, but that attitude problem is beginning to slow him down. Yes, 26 homers, 76 RBIs, all well and good, but he's been suspended this year, he was acting up in Triple-A, and who knows what'll be next. Jarren Duran is a similar story, because this would be a terrific time for him to get something going, but he's still not hitting for average, he keeps striking out, and he feels like he's regressed, even after last year. 20 homers and 69 RBIs are fine, but he's not THE guy right now, in the same way that Ben Rice or Aaron Judge can be the Yanks, or Junior Caminero can be the Rays. The closest approximation is Wilyer Abreu, but is he the anchor or is he just having a good season? Roman Anthony, Adley Rutschman, Trevor Story and Jarren Duran are all in position to really carry the team and none of them are.
October would be a good time to start. Or sooner. I'm content with the fact that this could be the Sox team that outruns the Yankees, because on paper I don't see it, and those are always the teams that do it. We're better, they're sneakier. We're built better but they're more clutch. I've got two more weeks to come to terms with it, then there'll be another 3 days of discourse, and then we'll do the series and I'll just hope it doesn't hurt too much.
Coming Tomorrow- He plays most positions, and even pitches, but this year he's finally found a starting spot and might be through with his super utility days.
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