Prior to Tuesday night, it was difficult to uncover much optimism when it came to the Red Sox.
That's what one of Major League Baseball's least impactful offenses, along with an eight-game division deficit will do.
But thanks to a tidy 2-hour, 23-minute reminder at Fenway Park - which was punctuated with the Sox beating the Angels, 4-0 - we were offered some glimmers of hope.
There have actually been a few things that have stuck to the blueprint, which this night highlighted.
MICHAEL WACHA
The Red Sox' hunch that Wacha was going to be able to carry over the last two months of his 2021 has been dead-on.
The righty didn't allow a run over his 5 2/3 innings, marking the fourth consecutive start he has gone at least five innings. It is also the third time he has thrown 60 or more pitches in a start of five or more innings, allowing two runs or fewer and four hits or fewer in each of his starts.
Wacha joins Chris Sale (2018) and Bret Saberhagen (1997-98) as the only Red Sox pitchers in franchise history to allow two or fewer and four hits or fewer in five consecutive starts any point in their Red Sox career.
In other words, the one-year, $7 million contract is paying off.
"Everybody knows about him," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora, whose starters have a combined ERA of 3.34. "He came into the scene in ’13 and the way he pitched for that organization, getting to the World Series, it was eye-opening. I do believe, he’s only (30). He prepares, he understands information and he wants to keep getting better. Like I said before, Rich (Hill) and him, you add them to Nate (Eovaldi), it’s kind of like veterans that have been there, done that, understand what it takes to go out there every five days. The preparation, not only scouting report-wise but in the weight room and the training room and the way they talk the game in the dugout, it’s a pleasure to have them."
J.D. MARTINEZ
His absence had been noticeable. As has his inclusion the lineup when not sidelined.
Martinez managed two more hits, including his third homer of the season. It boosted the designated hitter's batting average to .317 and OPS to .959, having gone 5-for-9 since his two-game return from an abductor muscle strain.
The Red Sox are now 2-5 when Martinez is not in the lineup.
"It doesn’t bother me when I swing. Just when I run. Running out of the box and stuff," Martinez noted. He added, "It’s one of those things I said was listen, if it’s going to bother me and come on and off where I have to miss three or four games in a row, I’d rather just go on the 10, get healthy and come back.’ They’re like, ‘it’s just one of those things you have to monitor.’ I tweaked it and went out there after five days and immediately hit a couple doubles and had to leg them out right away. It’s one of those things where it just kind of got pissed off. But now I’m just Cadillacing. I’m channeling my inner Dougie (Alex Verdugo)."
“He works so hard at what he does," Cora said. "There were a few swings in Baltimore, actually I said the at-bat before the homer, it felt like he was getting very close to who he is. He drove that ball to right field, of course. He’s just relentless. That’s the word. You talk about yesterday, Pete was talking about how refreshing it was for us, you know he didn’t take the day off. He was swinging somewhere in the city and working on his thing. That’s what it takes. He takes it very serious. Sometimes he takes too much burden when the offense is not clicking. Kind of like what David used to say. I get paid to hit. If I don’t hit, we don’t score. But that’s not the case. It takes nine guys to do everything possible to score runs. The fact that that guy, he takes his craft so seriously and he’s so responsible at everything he does offensively, it’s a credit to who he is and he’s been great for us."
XANDER BOGAERTS
Bogaerts has been the one constant in this Red Sox lineup this season, hitting .356 with an .893 OPS after reaching base for an eighth-straight start Tuesday night.
But what hasn't quite been defined is whatever progress he might have made defensively. Against the Angels, Bogaerts sent a message with a couple of eye-opening plays.
Considering how good Rafael Devers has been to the right of him, the defense emanating from the left side of Red Sox' infield certainly hasn't been the concern some thought it might be.
"It’s fun to watch," Cora noted. "Obviously, you see the errors (4) and he’s hard on himself. The other day, he didn’t set his feet and he threw it away. Today the same play and he set his feet and throws it. It’s been good. So far, even the big guy (Devers) today, he made his first error in I don’t know how many games but he played great defensively. We turned some double plays. Trevor feels a lot more comfortable there and it’s good to see them bouncing around and making plays. It’s been refreshing, to be honest with you."