Through 158 games, the Red Sox are still mathematically alive. That means at least one scenario exists where the Red Sox earn the third wild card spot. There are likely multiple scenarios, given the complicated tiebreakers and different permutations of how the season could end. Either way, if we want to see the Red Sox in the postseason, winning the rest of the games is step one.
Tonight, Alex Cora managed with this in mind. Brayan Bello wasn’t his sharpest self, down about 1.5 MPH with his sinker and failing to spot his changeup regularly. He battled through four innings, surrendering two runs before Cora decided he had seen enough.