Boston Red Sox Entering Most Crucial Week Of 2024 Season

The Boston Red Sox sit at 65-58, 3.5 games behind the Kansas City Royals for the last Wild Card spot with 39 games left in the regular season. Boston faces off against the Houston Astros, who have gone 11-4 in August, on the road in a three-game series beginning tonight; with another three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks (11-5 in August) immediately after.

The Royals on the other hand square up against two struggling teams in their next six games. A three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels (6-10 in August) commences tonight and another three-game series against the scuffling Philadelphia Phillies, who have managed just a .500 record (8-8) in August.

After the next week's games, the Red Sox could be comfortably in a Wild Card spot, virtually out of the race entirely, and just about everything in between. Boston is entering the time of year when every win is magnified and every loss could be the deciding factor in whether or not they make the playoffs.

Simply put, now is the time that the Red Sox desperately need to perform at their highest level. Manager Alex Cora hasn't wavered once from his firm belief that this is a playoff team and here is where they have to prove him right.

After these two series, their strength of schedule becomes much lighter while the Royals' gets far more difficult. The bullpen is becoming healthy with even more reinforcements on the way (Justin Slaten and Liam Hendriks) and the offense is at its peak form.

The true identity of the 2024 Boston Red Sox is about to be revealed; as either a persistent contender or heartbreaking collapse.