Red Sox game today: 11-win streak returns Boston to .500
The Red Sox game today follows an 11-game winning streak after Boston swept Friday’s doubleheader against the Rays, returning to .500 at 48-48 for the first time since March 28. It is their longest streak since 2016, and they are now tied for the final AL wild-card spot.
Key Takeaways
- Boston swept Tampa Bay on Friday with a 10-0 rout and a 5-3 nightcap to reach 48-48.
- The 11-game win streak is the Red Sox’s longest since Sept. 15-25, 2016.
- Since June 24, when they were 14 under .500, the Sox have won 16 of their last 18 games.
- Saturday’s Red Sox game today is set for 4:10 p.m. at Fenway, with Patrick Sandoval scheduled to start.
The surge has reshaped the second-half outlook for a club that looked like a seller weeks ago. For more clubhouse and second-half buzz coverage, see Future Tech & AI Wonders on BlasterPost.
How did the Red Sox claw back to .500?
As recently as June 24, Boston held the worst record in the American League and sat 14 games under .500. The next day the energy shifted, and the club has not stopped rolling.
Interim manager Chad Tracy’s squad has ripped off 16 wins in its last 18 games, reaching .500 for the first time since the second game of the season on March 28, as detailed by MLB.com. No team has a better mark than Boston’s 19-5 since June 19.
“It means a lot,” Tracy said after the streak hit 11. “We talked a lot about the journey it’s been and how rough things were, but the guys have come together and they’re playing great baseball.”
What happened in Friday’s doubleheader vs. the Rays?
Game 1 was a 10-0 shutout, with Jake Bennett tossing six scoreless innings and Boston pouring on a six-run sixth. Game 2 ended 5-3 after opener Eduardo Rivera lasted only 2 1/3 innings.
Relievers Greg Weissert, Jovani Morán, Tyron Guerrero, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Slaten, and Aroldis Chapman then recorded the final 20 outs without allowing a run. Chapman sealed it by striking out Nick Fortes on a 99.9 mph fastball.
Wilyer Abreu homered twice off Rays right-hander Mason Englert, and Willson Contreras, back from a five-game suspension, went deep in his first at-bat for back-to-back shots. The Sox went 5-0 while Contreras was out.
Can Boston make it 12 in a row in the Red Sox game today?
Saturday’s series game is listed for 4:10 p.m. on NESN, with left-hander Patrick Sandoval (0-0, 2.08 ERA) set to face Tampa Bay’s Ian Seymour (6-2, 4.59 ERA). It is Sandoval’s second start since returning from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him since 2024.
Boston’s pitching staff has allowed just nine runs in its last eight games. The Rays still lead the AL East at 56-40 but are 4-7 in their last 11 and have allowed at least five runs in three straight contests.
Tracy cautioned that the climb is unfinished: “It’s nice, but there’s a long way to go.” Upcoming series against the Orioles and Blue Jays will test whether the wild-card foothold sticks before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.