The Red Sox hadn't earned the benefit of the doubt. That was their existence coming back from Colorado on the first of a couple of signature travel adventures, on June 24. They hadn't won more than three games in a row, having managed three straight victories just twice. And when you're 32-46 while creeping up on the season's halfway mark, that should provide the ultimate proof of existence.
There was no proof that this group would be able to find the only path leading back to respectability, the one paved with lengthy win streaks.
Now?
No matter what happens in the final game before the All-Star break, the Sox have officially secured status as a playoff contender. For that, they can thank the kind of run many thought wasn't in them. With Saturday's 4-0 win over the Mets, Chad Tracy's team is now 13-2 in its last 15 games, having gone on five-game and eight-game winning streaks, with the latter having yet to be punctuated.
Where it has left them, heading into Sunday's first-half finale, is just 1/2 game out of a wild card spot.
That would officially constitute being in the thick of the postseason conversation.
How has this happened? It's not all that complicated.
Start with what already has been good pitching becoming even better. Even without Garrett Crochet, Connelly Early, and now Ranger Suarez, it's a group that has managed a 2.58 ERA over the 15-game stretch, with the starters compiling a 2.17 ERA while going 9-1. Over that span, only the Tigers' starters have a lower ERA (which might explain their similar re-entry into the postseason conversation).
While there is understandably some concern over the ability to sustain such success without the Red Sox's defined ace in Crochet, there is some solace that, for the time being, replacements have been found. Sonny Gray has allowed two runs over his last three starts, while Jake Bennett has allowed just three.
The duo's emergence has represented a theme. The Red Sox have finally locked in on this sort of do-no-wrong vibe, in large part because of replacements few had factored into the big league equation coming out of spring training.
Saturday marked the latest out-of-nowhere difference-maker, with Eduardo Rivera called upon to start in place of Suarez. All he did was hold the Mets to one hit and no runs over 3 1/3 innings.
No Willson Contreras, no problem. Hitting home runs in the All-Star's place were Andruw Monasterio and Masa Yoshida. Caleb Durbin pumped his OPS over the last 15 games to over .908. It was a microcosm of what has transpired in these last 13 wins. Look at the Red Sox' offensive numbers, and they aren't even in the top half of MLB, including the 26th-best batting average with runners in scoring position. But where it wasn't enough before, it is now.
So, what now?
While the Red Sox should absolutely have their sights set on the same World Series goal they targeted, decisions still have to made. Sonny Gray - who does have a no-trade clause - would be one of the two most coveted starting pitchers heading into the trade deadline, with Aroldis Chapman representing the tippity top of coveted closers.
They have put themselves in position to make these sort of tough decisions, but have to come out of the All-Star break with four against the division-leading Rays, followed by three apiece at Fenway with two teams who are also in the the wild card chase, Toronto and Baltimore.
The FanGraphs odds to make the playoffs are now at 37 percent, which is just one percent lower than this time a year ago, and 21 percent better than where the Red Sox were before these 15 games.
There is suddenly a different perspective and promise than many thought possible. The Red Sox have earned the right to wear that at least until this All-Star break is done.
