In the middle of the 2026 MLB season, the Boston Red Sox looked as good as dead in the American League East. By June 24, they were 32-46 and coming off a series loss to the Colorado Rockies, the worst team in the league. They had lost Garrett Crochet; questions lingered about offensive production from their younger players; and Alex Cora had been fired only two months earlier.
After that series, the Boston Red Sox have not only been on a roll, but arguably the hottest team in the MLB for the second half of the season. They have gone 38-19 since that time and made a trade for one of the most sought-after catching upgrades in the sport. Their rookies have stepped up, and their pitching staff has overcome early struggles to surge within striking distance of the AL East.
How did they do it, and can they maintain that momentum for the last month of the season?
The Boston Red Sox had an unprecedented 21-4 record in July, the best winning percentage and record since the 1950s, along with a 17-12 August. When combined with a crowded American League Wild Card field and an Aaron Judge-less New York Yankees team, they surged in a dramatic way. It took a lot more than circumstance and misfortunes on other teams to get there.
The Red Sox saw immense production across their lineup, including some unexpected faces. Three players- Willson Contreras, Andruw Monasterio, and Jahmai Jones- all put up an OPS above 1.000, alongside .800 OPS months from Cedanne Rafaela, Masataka Yoshida, and Caleb Durbin. Across all players, the team hit 32 home runs in 25 games, along with 88 walks to 213 strikeouts.
What really set them apart in July was their pitching staff, especially the bullpen. Starters Jake Bennett and Sonny Gray took the lead with a 2.20 and 3.60 ERA, respectively, while Patrick Sandoval came back to the mound with a strong month. It was the bullpen that made the most noise, with four relievers throwing an ERA under one with more than double-digit innings pitched. Aroldis Chapman notched all 10 of his save opportunities, while Garrett Whitlock functioned perfectly in the setup role.
While the pitching staff took a step back in August, the offense stepped up together. Infielder Mickey Gasper, who rarely sees any playing time, slugged six home runs in 12 games in August, while Roman Anthony and Trevor Story made their long-awaited returns. Outfielder Wilyer Abreu had a .971 OPS, while Yoshida continued his comeback tour with a .892 OPS.
The team, overall, had an even better August with a .791 OPS and 35 home runs, along with more hits than strikeouts. Their walk rate increased while their strikeout rate held steady, and they collected 59 doubles and six triples during the month. While they have seemingly cooled off a bit since the start of September, some important moves in the summer will help them going forward.
Boston was surprisingly active during the trade deadline, making four notable trades that saw several prospects shipped to other teams in exchange for a “win now” lineup.
The biggest deadline trade for the Red Sox is easily Adley Rutschman from the Baltimore Orioles, a rare interdivisional trade between rivals. The Red Sox did give up a heavy sum for the three-time All-Star, shipping away top pitching prospect Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, and outfielder Enddy Azocar. No team wants to make a trade like that unless it’s absolutely certain the player will make an immediate impact.
Rutschman has not been as advertised so far, hitting only a .188/.253/.645 slash line with four home runs over 19 games. He has been on a bit of a hot streak as the calendar turned from August to September, hitting .292/.292/1.000 with three home runs in six games. With other trade-deadline acquisition Curtis Mead still out, Rutschman needs to step it up quickly before time runs out.
The Boston Red Sox also made some interesting pitching trades, including sending away 2025 Wild Card series starter Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals. Their strongest acquisition so far from the deadline, arguably, was the trade for San Francisco Giants reliever Erik Miller.
That trade saw struggling prospect Marcelo Mayer head to the Bay Area, but it was absolutely worth it given the value the Red Sox have received. In 13.1 innings of work, Miller has thrown 24 strikeouts and walked only five batters, along with a WHIP under one. It’s a gigantic revelation for Miller, who previously struggled to keep his WHIP and ERA at league averages.
With a bullpen consisting of Miller, Chapman, Whitlock, starter-convert Brayan Bello, and Alec Gamboa, that’s a bullpen any team would fear going up against in October. Despite Rutschman’s sluggish start, if he does get going, the trade deadline will be seen as a big win for the team.
The Boston Red Sox are doing something most teams can only dream of doing: Surging to make the playoffs. A combination of smart moves, smart management, and the right players getting hot at the right time led them to the cusp of a playoff berth. Whether their bullpen can hold through the Wild Card series remains to be seen, but they have a shot at making a deep October run.
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