Remaining Schedule
The schedule lines up nicely for the Red Sox to make a late push down the stretch. 15 of their final 24 games will be played in the friendly confines of Fenway Park.
The current home stand includes eight more games against teams with losing records – the Blue Jays, Rays and A’s. That’s followed by a trip to Tropicana Field, where the Red Sox swept the Rays in a short two-game series during their last visit.
The biggest obstacle could be a trip to Baltimore to face an Orioles team that is 6-10 against the Red Sox this season. Not only have the O’s been a thorn in Boston’s side all year, they are currently rolling with seven wins in their last ten games. With a Wild Card spot in their sights, Baltimore will be no pushover.
That final road trip of the season wraps up with a trip to Cincinnati to face a Reds team that is probably the weakest of their remaining opponents. Joey Votto may be having a MVP-caliber season, but it’s all for nothing on a last-place team.
Boston returns to Fenway to face the Blue Jays again, which will hopefully be a better homecoming than Monday night’s brutal loss to kick off their current homestand. With playoff seeding potentially still on the line, the Red Sox should be able to take care of business against a Toronto team that will likely have mailed it in by that point.
Next: Sluggers who should have been Red Sox
The final series of the season will depend on if Houston has locked up home-field or not. If they have, the Red Sox should coast to the finish line. If the top seed remains undetermined, we may be in store for an early playoff preview.