Red Sox Ride 10-Game Winning Streak Into Critical NL Matchups

The Boston Red Sox enter the second half of the 2025 MLB season riding a season-best 10-game winning streak and positioned as serious contenders for the postseason with a strong Wild Card slot and a chance at the AL East title. Key to their success will be left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet, who leads the majors in strikeouts and innings pitched, and is considered a front-runner for the AL Cy Young Award. The team faces a challenging schedule immediately after the All-Star break, playing against top National League teams—the Cubs, Phillies, and Dodgers—providing an early test of their legitimacy as contenders. Manager Alex Cora faces lineup decisions amid a deep outfield, balancing emerging stars like Roman Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela with veterans such as Masataka Yoshida, whose playing time has been limited despite returning from injury. The recent trade of Rafael Devers has created financial flexibility, potentially allowing the Red Sox to acquire starting pitching help before the trade deadline, possibly by trading from their abundant outfield depth. Veteran leader Alex Bregman's return from injury and the maturation of young hitters contribute to an optimistic outlook, though the team must avoid the pitfalls of last season's post-break slump to maintain momentum.