The debate started in spring training and as we approach September it hasn't really gone anywhere: How should we view the 2023 Red Sox?
This we do know after the Red Sox' 8-3 win over the Yankees Friday night at Yankee Stadium ...
- The Sox remain a palatable three games back out of the Wild Card race, how chasing Seattle, which leapfrogged Toronto in the standings Friday night. The Sox own the tie-breaker over the Blue Jays (head-to-head), but would have to go the second tie-breaker against the Mariners (record vs. division opponents), who currently own that advantage.
- Brayan Bello isn't done yet, continuing his dominance against the Yankees in a six-inning outing that saw him give up just one run. In five career starts against New York, the righty owns a 1.45 ERA.
- The recently struggling offense looks a whole lot different when the likes of Alex Verdugo, Justin Turner and Masa Yoshida do something. That's exactly what happened in this latest win. All three contributed to the Red Sox building a seven-run lead after the first two innings, with Yoshida highlighting the early outburst with a three-run homer. Verdugo and Turner each finished with three hits, as did Rafael Devers.
- The Red Sox did help define the Yankees' lot in life. New York is now seven games out of the Wild Card race, having lost six straight with its run-differential sitting at minus-19
Fangraphs still doesn't seemingly believe in the Red Sox - putting playoff odds at 12.7 percent, 45 percent lower than the Blue Jays. But it's games like this one that suggest it's a story worth following.
As the Patriots get ready to play their second exhibition game, that's something.
