Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez reveals key to ending the team’s slump

Here’s what the Red Sox need in order to turn things around

The Boston Red Sox are in first place in their division and tied for the most wins in the American League. It’s time they start acting like it before they allow that lead to slip away.

Boston enters the day clinging to a slim half-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays. While they burst out of the break with a dominant shutout over the New York Yankees, the Red Sox dropped the next two in the Bronx to allow the Rays to pull even in the loss column. Boston has now lost three straight series dating back to the end of their west coast trip before the break.

The Red Sox aren’t playing great baseball and they don’t look like the team that raced to the top of the standings in the first half of the season. Speaking with the media following Sunday’s loss in New York, catcher Christian Vazquez explained that the key to climbing out of this rut is reclaiming their confidence.

"“I think we need to continue to play hard, like we are in first place,” Vázquez told reporters, per MLB.com. “We need to act more like we’re in first place. I think that’s the key for us. We need to be more cocky, like ‘We’re in a good place.’ And we’re not acting like that. That’s what I see right now.”"

Vazquez isn’t implying that his teammates need to act cocky by being arrogant. It’s about playing with confidence. Teams that are playing well carry themselves a different way. They have swagger.

When players are in a slump you can see it in their body language. That confidence has been shattered and it can be difficult for players to climb out of that hole.

Struggling players often tend to press more at the plate. Manager Alex Cora pointed out that his lineup has developed a discouraging habit of swinging at pitches outside of the zone. They piled up 20 strikeouts in 55 at-bats over the last two games and were a miserable 2-for-13 (.154) with runners in scoring position.

Boston has been on of the league’s best offensive clubs this season but they haven’t been hitting lately. They scored only one run in each of their last two games that they lost in New York. The Red Sox are averaging five runs per game this season but they have scored more than four runs only once in their last three series.

The next 14 games will be against divisional opponents. This is the most important stretch of the season and an inopportune time for the team’s confidence to be shaken. Boston had a chance to bury the shorthanded Yankees over the weekend but they instead opened the door for their rivals to get back in the race. They can’t afford to do the same for a Toronto Blue Jays team they will see seven times before the end of the month.

This Red Sox roster is loaded with star power and more than capable of winning this division. They need to remember that and get back to playing to their capabilities before it’s too late.