The Boston Red Sox extend their win total to 75 and pull 2.5 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners for the top Wild Card spot in the American League standings. As Alex Cora’s men prepare for a 6-game homestand against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Guardians, here is where the team stands in their quest to return to the postseason for the first time since 2021.

August 29, 2025
Nick Zagzoug – Freelance Writer

The Boston Red Sox are finally playing like a playoff-caliber team. Lead by their true ace SP Garrett Crochet, the veteran leadership and winning mentality of 3B Alex Bregman, and the barnstorming breakout campaign of LF Roman Anthony, this iteration of the Red Sox might just deliver on their promise to provide a reason for fans to keep tuning in down the stretch.

Newcomer RP Steven Matz spoke highly of the way his team is finding ways to win following their most recent series victory: “It’s been really fun to watch. I mean, I knew this was a great team but it seems like every day someone different is stepping up and that’s what it takes to be a good team.”

Matz secured his first save as a member of the Red Sox in last night’s 3-2 win over the AL East basement-dwelling Orioles. Initially unheralded by fans following his trade-deadline acquisition from the Cardinals by GM Craig Breslow, Matz has been an effective tool out of the bullpen (11.1 IP, 1 ER, 8 SO).

Though the likes of Crochet, Bregman, Anthony, and father-time-denying CP Aroldis Chapman are (rightfully) receiving most of the attention and accolades for the Sox’ success, the elevated play of some of Boston’s role players has been the real difference between this year’s encouraging campaign and last year’s disappointing spiral to an 81-81 record.

Defense Wins the Ugly Games

Yes, the team still leads the league with 101 errors. That is one more than the next worse team, the 38-96 Colorado Rockies, and 15(!) more than the third-worst team, the 66-66 Cleveland Guardians. That’s not good enough for a team with legitimate playoff aspirations.

But there is light at the end of this tunnel and nuance to be found between the lines. SS Trevor Story made two game-defining plays in the Sox’ win over the Orioles last night, and has consistently provided above-average defensive play throughout the season. Story has turned the second-most double plays in the majors and maintains a respectable .978 fielding percentage, while also turning in his most effective offensive performance in Boston (.257 BA, 22 HRs, 84 RBIs). CF Cedanne Rafaela has arrived as-advertised by providing stellar defensive play in center field. He is currently second in the MLB in defensive runs saved above average (14) behind only Chicago Cubs phenom Pete Crow-Armstrong. C Carlos Narváez has been a revelation behind the plate, logging an impressive 14 defensive runs saved above average and a respectable 27% caught stealing percentage.

Look, I am not saying the Sox are a good – or even acceptable – defensive team. But they have shown improvement in several key spots that have helped them win games this year. And now, with seasoned veteran 1B Nathanial Lowe joining the team via waiver claim, we might see an even more defensively improved infield group.

Mid-Rotation Arms Coming Through

Crochet is who we all hoped he would be. The 26-year-old hurler has been flat out dominant this season, posting a 14-5 record with a 2.40 ERA and a league-leading 214 strikeout total. He is firmly in AL Cy Young contention with his 5.6 WAR falling behind only Paul Skenes, Christopher Sánchez, and Tarik Skubal (what a list). But this is what is expected from a player who was exchanged for a bucket of upper-tier prospects and promptly given a 6-year $170 million contract extension.

What was not expected was the emergence of SP Lucas Giolito and SP Brayan Bello as serviceable, sometimes great, middle-of-the-rotation starters. Bello in particular has put together a bounce-back season following last year’s disappointing campaign. The 26-year-old has thus far posted a 10-6 record in 24 games with a much-improved 2.99 ERA (down from 4.49 in 2024), but what has been most impressive about his 2025 performance has been his in-game longevity. Bello is currently sitting at 141.2 IP, which is about 87% of his total innings pitched last season, in six fewer games. Giolito, who missed the entirety of the 2024 season following elbow surgery, has posted a more modest 9-2 record in 21 games with a 3.47 ERA. The 13-year veteran has shown an ability to battle through adversity throughout the season by tight-roping out of jams and limiting HRs against, two areas of weakness that Giolito struggled to overcome in prior years with Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

The Red Sox will look to squeeze a bit more service out of SP Walker Buehler, who has struggled to find the postseason juice he found in his final year with the Dodgers and was finally (mercifully) taken out of the starting rotation to be moved to the bullpen. After his last outing, a 2.1 IP, 2 ER faceplant against the Yankees on August 24, the Sox may be closing the door on trying to get high-leverage productivity out of Buehler. All eyes now turn to newly acquired SP Dustin May and rookie SP Richard Fitts to shore up the bottom of the rotation.

Update: Per Chris Cotillo, Walker Buehler has been released by the Red Sox on the morning of 8/29.

What’s next?

The Sox welcome the 59-76 Pittsburgh Pirates to Fenway Park for a three-game series to start a six-game homestand. Pittsburgh’s flamethrowing SP Paul Skenes will match up against Boston’s MLB debutante and absolute unit SP Payton Tolle. Tolle, who started the season with the High-A Greenville Drive but quickly climbed up to the AAA Worcester Red Sox, features an overpowering fastball and a traditional bat-missing slider. Though most Sox fans will be excited for their first look at their very own Hefty Lefty, neutral fans may tune in to watch Skenes’s first matchup against rookie sensation, LF Roman Anthony. Anthony, batting .368 with 2 HRs in his last 5 games, will have to be ready for Skenes, who last went 7 IP with 0 ER and 7 SO against the Colorado Rockies on August 24.