The Boston Red Sox ultimately couldn't cap off their scorching hot August with a series win over the New York Yankees, but it's safe to say that their summer turnaround has changed the tune around this team.
It was just two months ago that they looked completely out of the playoff race, preparing to sell all of their biggest trade chips at the trade deadline. Then, they went on a 15-game winning streak that both tied the all-time franchise record and saved the season, putting Craig Breslow in a position to add big names like Adley Rutschman and Erik Miller to the roster.
Zoom out to get a view of the entire 2026 picture, and it's clear that what's happening in Boston right now is historic. Literally.
The Red Sox went from 14 games under .500 to 14 games over .500 in 62 days, the 2nd-shortest turnaround of its kind in MLB history
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 26, 2026
The only team faster: the 1914 Miracle Boston Braves, who went from 26-40 to 65-51 in 60 days
h/t @MLBNetwork research squad
Even though the Red Sox have slipped a little below 14 games above .500 since reaching that threshold, joining any sort of company with the Miracle Braves is a positive omen we should all be very excited about.
Miracle Boston Braves set a high bar, but 2026 Red Sox have the momentum to clear it
If you don't know the story of the Miracle Braves, allow me to give you the SparkNotes version: Long the runt of the litter in the National League — they averaged nearly 100 losses per season in the decade prior to 1914 — they entered the midseason point at 26-40, once again in last place. Then, they went 68-19 over their final 87 contests to win the pennant 10.5 games.
If that wasn't improbable enough, they then eviscerated the defending champions, the Philadelphia Athletics, in a four-game sweep in the World Series. It has long been considered one of the greatest seasons in MLB history, which is why it's taken 112 years for another team to match their rapid turnaround.
There's obviously no guarantee that the 2026 Red Sox will be able to match that title, especially since there's three more rounds of the playoffs standing between them and the World Series than there was for the Braves. Still, momentum is a real thing in October, and there's no squad in the league with more of it than Boston after this summer.
Failing to take this series from the Yankees on the road isn't the best sign — like last year, the Red Sox are currently slated to travel to the Bronx in the Wild Card Round — but there's a month between now and the postseason. A lot can change in that time, including the positioning of teams in the standings. With so much momentum on their side, perhaps Boston will play home once again to one of baseball's most improbable comebacks.
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