For the last few weeks, the play of the Bruins has bought the Red Sox some cover, somewhat obscuring the fact that the defending champions can't get out of their own way.
On Wednesday night, win or lose in Game 7, the Bruins' season will end. A victory will result in yet another parade in Boston later this week and extend the distraction for another few days, but after that, there will be no place to hide from the demanding fans.
After that, the Sox will be on their own. And good luck with that. That's far from an enviable position.
For that matter, neither is third place in the American League East, a full eight games back of the division's twin frontrunners, New York and Tampa Bay.
After a sloppy 9-5 loss to the Texas Rangers Tuesday night, the Sox sit at .500, a study in mediocrity. They have no trouble rolling the many lousy teams the American League, but are no match for anyone with a winning record, as their record 14-23 against such clubs clearly indicates.
Tuesday night saw the Red Sox:
- Issue a total of eight walks, with five of the hitters who walked eventually coming around to score.
- Dropping the most routine of popups (Rafael Devers) in the middle of the infield.
- Failing to recognize that a ball came back into the field of play as the Rangers' Hunter Pence motored around the bases for an inside-the-park home run (Brock Holt).
- Unable to be competitive in games in which a spot starter works. Rookie Darwinzon Hernandez was tagged for four runs (three earned) in 3.1 innings. In the last four such games, fill-in starters have allowed 19 earned runs in just 12.1 innings.
