Three Morning-After thoughts on what stands, for now, as the biggest Red Sox win of the season:
1. Sometimes, in attempting to measure the magnitude of a win, it's instructive to flip the script: What if the win were actually a loss?
So, what if, instead of overcoming a two-run deficit in the ninth inning In Dunedin Thursday night, the Red Sox had gone meekly into the night and come away with a 7-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays?
That would have meant:
* A series loss, which would have been the Sox' third in the last four sets, having recently dropped series in Texas, at home to Oakland, and this most recent one with the Jays. For a team that had been a nice roll for a while, it would have given them two series losses in their last three, having dropped two of three games to Oakland on the last homestand. That's not catastrophic, of course -- every team goes through dips over the course of a season. Still, that's not exactly the kind of momentum the Red Sox were seeking, just as their schedule becomes more difficult, with multiple series coming up against Houston and Atlanta and their first visit to Yankee Stadium fast approaching.
* Surrendering their spot atop the A.L. East, which they have had to themselves for 41 days. Again, no cause to hit the panic button. Given how tight the division is, there's likely to be plenty of lead changes back-and-forth, with four teams bunched together and currently separated by a couple of games. But, still a deflating, especially as the road trip continues with three more games in Philadelphia, starting Friday night.
* Dealing with the lingering notion that they had kicked away a winnable game. When the Red Sox quickly erased a two-run deficit in the second inning by putting eight straight men on base -- all after two were out -- it seemed there was no way they would lose. But after the second inning, the Red Sox offense receded and their defense embarked on a give-away spree. In the span of two innings, the Sox committed three errors, tying a season high, and leading to three unearned runs. The Blue Jays smartly capitalized and made the Sox pay, first tying the game in the fifth, then taking the lead in the sixth. The Sox have, by and large, avoided beating themselves this season, but this would have stood as the worst example of that, and losses like that can linger.
Instead, they pulled one out.
"What an amazing win, what a great game, what a big-league 'W.' '' gushed Alex Cora afterward.
2. Whom did the Red Sox miss most in 2020 -- their manager or their DH?
Cora spent the year in exile, suspended by Major League Baseball for his involvement in the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, and without him, the Red Sox finished with their worst season in 55 years.
That doesn't suggest that had Cora been around and been in charge instead of his one-time lieutenant, Ron Roenicke, that the Red Sox would have miraculously transformed into contenders. The 2020 Sox were way too flawed for that, with a starting rotation decimated by injuries and full of not-ready-for-prime-time fill-ins. The reincarnation of Connie Mack, Earl Weaver and Walter Alston wouldn't have made the Sox much better.
But there's no denying the impact made by Cora's return -- his energy, his ability to build relationships with players and the way they respond to his presence.
"He just brings such an energy to the team,'' said one Red Sox executive recently.
And yet, a case could be made that the Sox missed Martinez even more. With two outs and the Sox trailing by a run in the ninth inning Thursday night, Martinez drove a hanging slider from Toronto closer Rafael Dolis.
Of course, unlike Cora, Martinez was here in 2020. But not this version.
The 2021 Red Sox have played 45 games to date, or three-quarters of last year's pandemic-shortened 60-game schedule. Already, Martinez has hit almost twice as many homers as a year ago (12 this year; six last); drawn nearly as many walks (22 in 2020; 20 this year) and far eclipsed the number of total bases he collected (82 last year; 101 now). He's two extra-base hits away from tying his total from a year ago -- in 15 fewer games.
But enough with the counting numbers; how about the rates?
Some guy claiming to be J.D. Martinez in 2020 slashed .213/.291/.389.
This year, Martinez is slashing .331/.404/.608.
The Red Sox sure could have used that version of Martinez last season.
Beyond the sheer impact of the numbers, there's an undeniable presence to Martinez. Situated third in the Red Sox lineup, he's the anchor around which the rest of the order orbits. And, as difficult as both Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers can be to face, it's a good assumption Martinez is the guy opponents don't want to face in big spots -- like the one Thursday night, with the game on the line.
3. Situational hitting has improved.
Cora has, several times, bemoaned the Red Sox' inability to drive in runners from third with less than two out. It's been a particular issue with the lower third of the order, where the swing-and-miss tendencies have proved to be especially costly.
But there are signs that's gradually improving, along with the overall production at the bottom.
It's worth noting that while Martinez was the undeniable star of the ninth-inning comeback, belting career homer No. 250, the inning began with back-to-back singles from Bobby Dalbec and Michael Chavis. They helped get things going, advancing on a wild pitch, with Dalbec scoring the first of three ninth-inning runs on a groundout to the right side by Alex Verdugo. Had they not set the table, Martinez wouldn't have had the chance to play hero.
And there's this: all eight runs scored by the Red Sox came with two outs -- including the five in the second inning.
That's a sign that Sox hitters are bearing down and delivering when the team needs it most.