Red Sox Standings Watch: Heading into All-Star break in first place
By Sean Penney
The Boston Red Sox have reached the unofficial halfway point of the regular season leading the American League East division.
The MLB All-Star break has arrived, with the Boston Red Sox on top of the AL East division with a 50-39 record. Boston has the second highest win total and winning percentage in the American League, trailing only the Houston Astros.
Boston limps into the break having dropped four of their last five games. A three city tour to end the unofficial first half of the season wrapped up with a frustrating series in Tampa Bay, but the Red Sox still managed to go 6-4 on the trip.
The 50 road games that the Red Sox have played ties them for the most in the American League. That leaves them with a favorable second half schedule. Boston will play 42 of their remaining 73 games at Fenway Park, where they own a .641 winning percentage.
The Red Sox will send three players to Miami for the All-Star Game. Mookie Betts, selected as a reserve, will start in place of the injured Mike Trout. Cy Young front-runner Chris Sale has earned the start for the AL squad for the second consecutive year. If the team holds a lead at the end of the game they would be wise to hand the ball to Craig Kimbrel to close it out.
A trio of All-Stars and a relatively comfortable division lead. Not a bad way to enter the break.