The Red Sox are proving me wrong every single day (and I couldn’t be happier)

Chowder and Champions · Jul 20, 2026 22:00 · 3 min read

The Red Sox are proving me wrong every single day (and I couldn’t be happier) — Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Boston Red Sox are red-hot amid their 13-game winning streak, silencing many of their doubters along the way... including me.

A little over a month ago, I wrote about how the Boston Red Sox shouldn't even consider being buyers at the trade deadline this year. And instead, they should just sell some assets (i.e., Aroldis Chapman, Sonny Gray, Jarren Duran... not Willson Contreras, though), punt the rest of the season, and focus on development:

"The Red Sox are not a good team. Their offense has mostly been atrocious all season (particularly because of their lack of power), their pitching has been pretty solid but may be trending in the wrong direction (they have given up six or more runs in three of their last six games), and they are dealing with injuries to their top stars (Do you have that much confidence that Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet will suit up again this season? Because I don't)."

"Despite all of that, there is still this idea that they might actually look to be buyers this season. That should be completely tossed out the window now."

The Red Sox have since made me eat my words, and I have completely changed my stance on the debate... and I couldn't be happier about it.

The Red Sox should aim to compete this season

To be fair to me, when I wrote that, Boston was 29-42, ranked at the bottom of the AL East standings, and was one of just two teams in the majors under 30 wins (the Colorado Rockies were 28-47). But things have drastically changed since then, and they have forced me to change my mind.

The Red Sox are now winners of 13 straight and 19 of their last 22. They are 50-48, sit in third place in the division, and are currently one game ahead of the Seattle Mariners for the third AL Wild Card spot (and one game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the second spot).

Do I think the Red Sox are genuinely World Series contenders now? No, but I at least think they're good enough to play in October and maybe win a playoff series. Their pitching staff is elite, their bats are finally coming to life, and interim manager Chad Tracy is finding his groove.

I'm sure they will eventually come back down to earth, and it's unclear if there is even a real possibility of them being buyers this season (they especially need another power bat, but how many realistic trade candidates are on the market for them to potentially grab?), but this Red Sox team is fun and playing their best baseball of the season.

They, and the fans, deserve to see this through. The Red Sox should not be sellers at the trade deadline, and I am not afraid to admit that they have proven me wrong in a major way.