Riding a brilliant, whirlwind 10-game win streak into the All-Star break, the Boston Red Sox hold the second American League Wild Card after the first half of the season.
After trading Rafael Devers to San Francisco, the Red Sox took full advantage of a light schedule at the start of July, sweeping the Nationals and Rockies before taking it to the Rays at Fenway Park and usurping them in the AL East standings.
Unfortunately, that same schedule appears to be turning its back on the Red Sox heading into the second half of the season. According to Thomas Nestico of TJ Stats fame, Boston will be facing the hardest schedule in baseball following the Midsummer Classic.
MLB Remaining Strength of Schedule pic.twitter.com/go1IvPS0Zp
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) July 14, 2025
Red Sox's brutal second half schedule emphasizes their need for pitching help
Take a look at the Red Sox's schedule for the rest of July alone, and you'll begin to see why a sense of urgency is needed in the front office:
July 18-20: @ Chicago Cubs
July 21-23: @ Philadelphia Phillies
July 25-27: vs Los Angeles Dodgers
July 28-30: @ Minnesota Twins
That's the three current division leaders in the National League back-to-back-to-back before taking on one of their chief competitors for an AL Wild Card spot in the Twins. Plus, three of those series are on the road.
And it doesn't stop there. Save for a friendly back-half of August where they draw the Orioles (six times), Pirates and Marlins at home, the Red Sox will face the following teams in at least one series in the final two months of the season: the Astros, Royals, Padres, Yankees, Guardians, Diamondbacks, Rays, Blue Jays, and Tigers. Talk about a brutal stretch run.
With Hunter Dobbins now done for the season, Walker Buehler equating to dead weight, and Richard Fitts proving unready for the spotlight, you can bet the front office is going to realize that it needs about two-fifths of a rotation if it hopes to compete with the juggernauts on the horizon.
Staff ace Garrett Crochet, emerging No. 2 Brayan Bello, and a revitalized Lucas Giolito offer the skeleton of a postseason-caliber rotation. Another bona fide, playoff-tested starter — perhaps Merrill Kelly of the Diamondbacks or old friend Nate Eovaldi — would do wonders for Boston's chances, as would some more depth and innings eaters.
With the trade deadline just about two weeks away, the scorching-hot Red Sox were already on the clock. As they try to preserve their momentum from the end of the first half against a gauntlet of elite foes, it would behoove the team's top brass to bring in some reinforcements as quickly as possible.