After a slow start to the season, the Boston Red Sox enter the second half firmly in the playoff picture.
At 53-42, the Red Sox lead the Kansas City Royals by two games for the final American League Wild Card spot. They also trail the Baltimore Orioles by just 4 1/2 games in the AL East.
\"So far, so good, but we have bigger goals than having a good first part of the season,\" Alex Cora said. \"We\'re 4 1/2 games back from the lead in the East. That\'s what we\'re shooting for. The whole talk about the Wild Card and all that -- it should be in the past. Let’s think big and see what happens.\"
Boston chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has said he wants to pick a lane ahead of the trade deadline, which now sits less than two weeks away.
\"I think this team has put themselves in a position where we have to take them seriously,\" Breslow said recently on NESN. \"We need to be thinking about opportunities for us to improve the club.\"
Via Ian Browne/MLB