The Boston Red Sox are on a much-deserved break from baseball right now as they watch their All Star players in Tanner Houck and Jarren Duran take on the big game in Texas. On today's show, Gabby addresses the three biggest questions surrounding this Red Sox team as we enter the second half of the season. Will they be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline? Is their current level of play sustainable? Where do they truly stack up in their own division? Tune in to find out the answers to all of these questions and more!
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
SupplyHouse
SupplyHouse.com is the reliable way to get parts fast. Shop for your next plumbing, h-vac, or electrical job and get fast shipping from coast to coast.
Booking.com
The right stay can make you a fan of any US city - even your rival’s. Book today on Booking.com on the site or in the Booking.com app! Booking.com, Booking dot YEAH!
PrizePicks
Go to https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONMLB and use code lockedonmlb for a first deposit match up to $100!
eBay Motors
From brakes to exhaust kits and beyond, eBay Motors has over 122 million parts to keep your ride-or-die alive. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to bring home that big win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers.
Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.
FanDuel
FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. As playoffs wind down, the sports stop sporting like we want them to. But this summer, FanDuel is hooking up ALL CUSTOMERS with a boost or a bonus, DAILY! That’s right, there’s something for everyone, every day, all summer long! Visit FANDUEL.COM/LOCKEDON and add a big win to your summer bucket list!
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
(upbeat music) ♪ It's the Lockdown Podcast Network ♪ ♪ Your team every day ♪ - Are the Boston Red Sox buyers or sellers at the trade deadline? That's the biggest question about this team as we head into the second half of the season. (upbeat music) - You are locked on Red Sox. The Daily Boston Red Sox Podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. - Hello and welcome to Lockdown Red Sox, your Daily Boston Red Sox Podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every single day. I'm your host Gabby Hurlbut, former ESPN social media associate, and currently the host of the Boston Balling Podcast as well. And I am here to bring you the latest in all things Boston Red Sox, Monday through Friday, straight to your favorite podcast feed. And the best part is it's free. So you might as well check it out, right? 'Cause Lockdown is your team every day. This episode of Lockdown Red Sox is brought to you by booking.com. Booking. Yeah. The right stay can make you a fan of any city, even your rivals. Check out booking.com for your stay today. Welcome to the show. Here on Lockdown Red Sox, we live and breathe this team. And whether that's healthy or not, it is the case with me. And I don't think there's really any saving me from that. I love the Boston Red Sox. And I just love how well they have been playing lately, just are on an absolute tear right now. And ended the first half of the season on a really high note with a big series win over the royals. And there are lots of questions about this team as we head into the second half of the season. And on today's show, I'm going to be going over three of the biggest questions regarding the Boston Red Sox at the halfway point right now. And it's very exciting. It's an exciting time to be a Red Sox fan. And like I said, I live and breathe this team. So if you or anything like that, this is absolutely the show for you. And sometimes us die-hards here, you know, wonder why we are the way we are. Why do we just obsess over this Red Sox team night in and night out? Because we love baseball and we just love the Boston Red Sox. And they are making it very easy to like them right now, just a fun team to root for. And because of the fact that they've been playing so well over the last month plus, there are a lot of questions surrounding the trade deadline. And what are the Red Sox going to do? And I think the biggest question right now regarding this Boston Red Sox team is, will the Red Sox be buyers or sellers at the deadline? Now, I did do an episode on the show pretty recently where I talked about, you know, whether the Red Sox should be buyers or sellers and what the scenarios could look like for both. I feel fairly confident that the Red Sox will buy at the trade deadline this year. That's what they should do. And I trust that that's what Craig Breslow is leaning towards, just based on conversations and interviews I've seen from him is the impression that he knows that this team is competing and playing good baseball right now. And he personally, I don't think wants to take that away from them and ruin what they have going right now. And when I say bye, I don't mean they're going to just trade away all of their prospects. They want to keep a lot of those top prospects intact with the guys who they truly feel like are the future of this team. The Marcella Myers of the world, Kyle Teal, Roman Anthony, those types of players that they are really trying to build a core around for when they get called up to the majors. Those guys are here to stay. So I don't see the Red Sox making any moves that are going to require giving up those types of prospects. But I do see them adding a couple key pieces. It was evident in the first game against the Royals over the weekend that they still need help against left-handed pitching. They struggle when there's a lefty on the mound and I was worried about that because they have a very lefty, heavy lineup. And when you have a lefty, heavy lineup, the reality is that you just in general are not going to be able to hit off of lefty. So if they could have a right-handed power bat in this lineup, that could help balance it out a little bit more and it could be a reliable DH against left-handed pitching. That would be key because Yoshida has been playing very well as of late. He's been a lot more productive offensively and that's been really nice to see. But when it comes to his ability to be productive against the lefties, you can't really count on that. There's those lefty lefty match ups are tough for a hitter. So the Red Sox could use a right-handed power bat that could be an effective DH against left-handed pitching. And also they definitely could use a pitcher to add to this bullpen that is reliable and could be a good bridge guy for guys like Zach Kelly, Justin Slaton, Chris Martin, Kenley Jansen. More upset up guys who have to come in earlier in games if a starter doesn't go as deep or they are looking for somebody to eat innings before their closeout guys come in and lock it down. A guy who they can consistently put into that role of maybe the fifth/sixth inning guy before you get your go-tos in Kelly Martin and Jansen. So there are definitely a couple moves that should be made. It's not anything crazy. I mean, this team definitely has shown that they can compete with the big dogs. They can compete with the teams that are the best in the league and they have a big series coming up right after the all-star break against the Dodgers. That's gonna be a good test for this Boston Red Sox team to see where they're really at. The Dodgers have been in a bit of a slump lately and have been struggling to win games whereas the Red Sox have been winning games. So it should be an interesting matchup and seeing how the all-star break affects both teams will be interesting as well. So that'll be a good series for the Red Sox to really know where they're at relative to other teams. And it'll be fun to watch them come in in the second half and see if they can keep stringing together wins the way that they have been because that's gonna be so important for them. It should just maintain this level of dominance that they've been displaying and this level of energy that they've been bringing to games because that's what's gonna win them games down the road later on. So I'm interested in seeing if CrypBreslow sees it that way as a team that truly can compete. I mean, there are 11 games over 500. That's not a fluke, that's just them being a good baseball team. So hopefully he can add pieces and keep these guys encouraged as opposed to discouraging them. So that's a big question for this Red Sox team right now heading into this second half of the season is will they be buyers or sellers? That would be very disappointed if they end up being sellers. I mean, you have guys like Kenley Jansen, Nick Pavetta, Tyler O'Neill, who potentially could be moved guys who are gonna be pending free agents and are on the older side. And if the Red Sox are trying to focus on getting some younger pieces and they'd rather trade some of those guys for prospects because they're still really focused on the future and they don't trust that this team can go for, then that is a possibility that needs to be considered here that maybe they do go in that direction. And if they do, it would be disappointing from a fan perspective because this team is worth investing in. I've seen so many different situations in which they found different creative ways to win games and they are determined and they want to win and they want to prove people wrong. And they just play this game with so much energy and there's lots of talent to go around here. And if you look at somebody like Raphael Devers who has really emerged into a team leader this year, he wants to see this team win. And that will be a huge slap in the face to him if the Red Sox are like, we know you're really developing into a team leader this year, but we don't really trust that this team has what it takes to win. I'd be offended if I were him in that case. And I think last year's trade deadline was an example of a team having a lot of expectations for themselves and wanting the front office to feel that same energy they feel and see the potential in them. And that wasn't happening. And then the lack of moves that were made at the trade deadline last year affected them for sure. And they just weren't playing as well down the stretch. And you want to be able to maintain this level of competitiveness that they've been showing lately. And I trust that Craig Breslow will do that. I don't think it's going to be these blockbuster moves where they're going to get superstar players into these positions to help slot in, but they don't necessarily need that either. They have a lot of different players who are contributing up and down the lineup right now. They really just need more balance in that lineup. And of course, another arm to help sustain that bullpen and keep it together and be a reliable mid innings type of guy once the starter has to come out of the game. And luckily, the starters have been able to pitch pretty deep into games relatively considering everything. And if your starter is going about six innings a game, then it works out well, because then you can go to your Justin Slate and our Zach Kelly before going to Chris Martin and Kenwood Janssen. So I just hope that the Red Sox keep this team intact and they don't say, oh, you know, we're not ready to compete yet. We're not going to win a World Series this year. So let's trade our Hall of Fame closure or let's trade an outfielder who has just had such an impact as a power bat in this lineup. So I really hope that does not happen, but that certainly is a question that will be asked over the next couple of weeks until the trade deadline comes about at the beginning of August. So lots of things for Craig Breslow to think about, but this team certainly has done enough to show him that they are competitive, they want to win and they deserve to be in a playoff spot. So I just hope that he puts them in even greater position to be able to make a run in the playoffs as opposed to stripping from them some pieces that have been key to their success this year. So we'll see how that goes for Craig Breslow and the Red Sox, but coming up, I'm going to be talking about and addressing another big question about this Red Sox team as we think about the second half of the season. Do you love sports betting? Is it something you've always wanted to try to get into but haven't necessarily yet? Either way, wherever you are at with your fan dual experience, it is the place for you. I just love sports, I love them so much, I never want them to stop. But as the playoffs wind down, we get fewer games and the sports aren't sports saying like I want them to, but fan dual lets me keep the sports going whenever I want. All I have to do is open the app and dream up that's anytime I'm in the mood. And this summer, FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily. That's right, there's something for everyone every day, all summer long. So head over to FanDuel.com and start making the most out of your summer. FanDuel, official sports betting partner of Major League Baseball. I'm telling you, you can win so much money with FanDuel. So don't hesitate, check it out today. You can also win lots of money on prize picks, which is the number one daily fantasy sports app with over five million active members. Prize picks is the easiest and most exciting way to play daily fantasy sports. Unlike other apps on prize picks, it's just you against the numbers. You can now win up to 100 times your money on prize picks with as little as four correct picks. You can literally turn $10 into 1000. It's actually crazy. Prize picks is available in more than 30 states across the country, including California, Texas, and Georgia. Just download the prize picks app today and use code locked on MLB for a first deposit match up to $100. That's code locked on MLB on prize picks for a first deposit match up to $100. Pick more, pick less, it's that easy, it's prize picks. It really will make it so easy and fun for you. So check it out today. You should also check out lockdown sports today. If you are watching Fox Sports or ESPN on your TV all day, anyway, if you have to turn down the volume with all of that shouting, you can make the switch to lockdown sports today, which is a free 24/7 sports streaming channel programmed for you every day to bring you the biggest stories without all the screaming. Lockdown sports today brings you can't miss analysis, opinions, and news streaming 24/7 on YouTube or the free Amazon Fire TV channels app. Part of the lockdown podcast network, your team every day. It's a great way to stay caught up in all things going on in sports. So make sure you check that out today. On today's lockdown Red Sox, as we sit here missing Red Sox baseball already and just longing for it to be back, I do love the all-star break. I really do. I love watching the Home Run Derby. I love watching the all-star game. But I just love Red Sox baseball more than any of that. So I certainly do miss it and want it back. But we are taking a look at the three biggest questions regarding the Boston Red Sox at the halfway point. And we've already talked about whether they're going to be buyers or sellers at the deadline. That certainly is question number one about this team. And they should be buyers. And I really feel like they will be buyers, which leads into question number two about this Red Sox team. Is the way they're playing right now sustainable? That's a pretty loaded question because anything can happen in baseball, right? You never know with injuries as this team is very well aware with all the injuries they've experienced over the course of this season so far. On top of not knowing if a player is going to fall out of a good pattern and good routine that they've had going early on or as another player going to trend upward and make a run for big numbers in the second half. So there's a lot of things that need to go into answering this question, but the short form of the answer is yes. It absolutely is sustainable. I think they've started to figure out their identity as a baseball team. Lots of things are clicking for them. Lots of guys are trending upward. Jared Duran is somebody who is not showing any signs of slowing down. He will continue to have just a phenomenal season for this Red Sox team. He'll be that guy who is the perfect lead off hitter and is the total package in terms of what he brings to his game with the defensive versatility, his speed, his ability to do multiple things at the plate and really showcase that he has the power, but he also can string together little base hits and just beat it out and throw down a bunt and run to first and be safe. Turn a week single into two bases like he did in Sunday's game, pretty remarkable. I mean, this kid is so much fun to watch and I only suspect that that will continue moving forward. So then you have guys like David Hamilton and Satum Rafaiella who have gotten more and more playing time and are really starting to adapt to their roles on this team and are starting to find their stride and figure out what makes them unique and what they need to do to put this team in the best position possible to succeed and David Hamilton is an interesting story because he got some playing time up in the majors last season, but we didn't necessarily fully get to see his capability because he was called up and it was a small sample size and then he was sent back down to Triple A, then was called up again briefly and then sent back down. So he was a guy who was doing a lot of shuffling last year and this year due to injuries, particularly the injury to Trevor Story and also Von Grisham, he has been able to get a lot more playing time this year and it has worked wonders for him in terms of his ability to really establish himself as an everyday role player on this team because of the fact that his speed can follow Duran and the lineup and he can get on base and make his way around the base paths very quickly at a very speedy pace. So there's lots of things to like about him as well and the speed doesn't just go away. Having Duran and Hamilton as that one, two punch in the lineup is something that's always going to be a threat to opposing pitchers because they're not just going to get slower until they get older. They're not just going to get slower over the course of this season. So you can still count on them utilizing their speed to make this team be successful and put runs on the board by manufacturing them as opposed to just being relied on getting a hit that's going to drive them in every time. They can manufacture runs because of their ability to steal bases and their alertness to what's going on on the base path. So I trust that those two will be able to continue to keep the Red Sox in a lot of games because of their ability to steal some runs. And Chris Saille even was talking about how Darren Duran is his favorite all-star. And in that same conversation, he mentioned that he's not surprised the Red Sox are in contention this year because he knows who is running that clubhouse. Alex Quora, obviously his former manager when he was with the Boston Red Sox. And it just goes to show that he knows how special of a manager Alex Quora is in his ability to be a players coach and really connect with these guys and make them feel like they are all one big team, make them feel like a family and make them feel like he's not only their coach but also their friend. That's something really special that Alex Quora does that not a lot of other managers are able to do as well. And it's something that has had him be very successful as the Red Sox manager. I had Reese McGuire come on the podcast and he shared with me firsthand that he really likes that about Alex because he has the ability to just really connect with these guys and keep them motivated and hungry to win. And when you ask how the Red Sox have been able to be as good as they are this year, he absolutely deserves a lot of credit for that because Quora is definitely somebody who should be in the conversation as one of the best managers in the league right now. And if this season isn't enough evidence for you, then I don't know what is. So that alone is going to keep this Red Sox team in a good spot because of the manager that they have. And also you do have somebody like Tanner Howe who seems to have finally gotten over the hump as the true number one starter in this rotation. The hump that he was struggling to get over the last few seasons was his ability to pitch deeper into games and see lineups the third time. He was only seeing lineups twice before he started to struggle. So as a result, he was getting pulled from games early. So we weren't really getting the length from him when he was starting. Now we are getting the length from him. He's increased his pitch arsenal and he stayed super focused and he's shown that he's receptive to Andrew Bailey's strategy and what Bailey's trying to do with these pitchers. So when you have your number one starter who's been reliable all season long, what reason do I have unless he gets injured? Which hopefully not to believe that he's going to regress. There's not really a reason to feel that way and it'll be exciting to watch him pitch the second half for this Red Sox team. He so deserves that all-star spot that he was given. And I certainly do believe he'll be in the Cy Young conversation as he should be. He's one of the best pitchers in baseball this season. And I don't expect that to change. I feel like he has started to just really honed in on what makes him as good of a pitcher as he is. And it has allowed him to use his strengths to his advantage. He knows his slider is still his best pitch but he's utilizing more pitches in his arsenal to trick opposing hitters. So I don't have a reason to feel like he's going to regress. When you ask, is this team going to be able to sustain what they're doing? When thinking about concerns about that and why they might not is because of the rest of the starting rotation, is Carter Crawford going to be able to be consistent and have solid starts like he's been having all season long for this Red Sox team? Minus a couple blunders here and there about overall has been able to excel as the number two starter for this Red Sox team. Is Brian Bayo going to increase his competitiveness a little bit more in the second half because he struggled a lot in the first half to find the strike zone and to utilize the pitches that he throws best. And he's had some rough starts this season and we are going to need more from him if the Red Sox are going to be able to be competitive because they have a tough schedule in the second half and lots of teams that are not going to be taking them lately. So they are going to need Brian Bayo to find himself and step back into his role that we've seen from him in past seasons and be able to get himself back on track. So those are two pitchers I'm looking at and saying are they going to be able to be consistent and be able to be reliable out of this rotation because this rotation could fall apart at any moment in time. I don't think it will, but there's always the potential. It's baseball, you never really know. So that's a big question mark that I'm asking. And also in the second half, what is Chris Martin's health going to look like? Is he going to be able to come back and be healthy and contribute to this bullpen? Because that's a huge loss. If he's not the eighth inning guy, they could slot Zach Kelly into that eighth inning role, but it's not the same as having Martin and Janssen as that one, two punch in the eighth and nine innings. Those are the lockdown guys, the guys that we really need to be in their roles in order for the Red Sox to win close games against good baseball teams. If we have Zach Kelly or Justin Slaton in that role, they would be by next choices to slot in there unless the Red Sox trade for somebody to go into that position. Those would be my next two opportunities that make the most sense. And if they throw one of them in there, how do we know they're going to perform at the same level as Chris Martin? So hopefully he can stay healthy in the second half and be somebody who can really contribute out of this bullpen the way he did all season long last year. So there are a few questions, but overall this Red Sox team is going to be good still in the second half of the season. Yes, they might face some blunders in the road. It's a long season, that's how baseball is, but overall I feel pretty confident that they are going to be able to maintain this same level that they have maintained over the last month or so. And they're going to be the Red Sox team that we've seen over the last month. So I'm excited to see what they do in the second half. And coming up, I'm going to be addressing yet another question about this Red Sox team that we are wondering going into these final few months here of the season if you can believe that. This episode of lockdown Red Sox is brought to you by booking.com. Booking. Yeah. With summer travel heating up, especially travel for baseball games, it's time to explore those US cities you always secretly wanted to learn more about. Yes, we're talking about your rivals cities. With hotels, bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, resorts and so much more on booking.com, you might just find your perfect stay even in your baseball rivals cities. I love baseball games and just seeing different ballparks. And eventually I'm going to make my way to all those ballparks and explore different cities. So booking.com is going to be really useful in that situation. The right stay can make you a fan of any US city, even your rivals, if you can believe it, except not New York, don't tell anybody I said that. Book today on booking.com on the site or in the booking.com app. I highly encourage you to utilize it when booking your trips, because it really will come in handy for you. So check that out, download the app today while you're on your phone listening to this episode. Also while you're listening to this episode, head to YouTube and subscribe to Lockdown Sports today, or you can find it on Amazon Fire TV and the free Fire TV channels app. It's the first 24/7 sports streaming channel that's programmed for you to keep you updated on everything going on in sports with all the biggest storylines coming from our experts here at Lockdown to make sure you're not missing out on anything. So check that out today so you can stay caught up in everything going on in the sports world. Now, just baseball, other sports too, which is pretty fascinating. - The Lockdown MLB fantasy minute is presented by prize picks. Prize picks is the most fun. I've had playing daily fantasy baseball and winning up to 25 times my money. Download the app today and use the code Lockdown MLB for first deposit match up to $100. Exploring my skills on prize picks this season adds an extra layer of excitement to daily fantasy sports with just a few taps. You could transform $10 into $1,000 if you've got the skills. Prize picks is incredibly user friendly. I can make my selections and submit my entries in less than 60 seconds. And as a host of Lockdown fantasy baseball, I might as well give you some great picks to get you started off with. Operateric school, but I've higher than 6.5 strikeouts in his next start and opera Nolan Jones have higher than 0.5 total bases in his next game. And out for Kyle Schwerber to have higher than 0.5 home runs in his next game. Download the app today and use the code Lockdown MLB for first deposit match up to $100 again. Download the app today and use the code Lockdown MLB for first deposit match up to $100. Pick more, pick less. It's that easy with prize picks. - Today's show has been all about biggest questions regarding the Boston Red Sox as we head into the second half of the season and what things are going to look like for them. We've talked about the trade deadline. What are they going to do at the deadline? Are they going to be buyers? Are they going to be sellers? Hopefully buyers. We've talked about can they sustain this level of success that we've seen over the last month or so or is the break going to be too long for the all-star break and they're going to go back and they're not going to be able to perform at the same high level that they've been performing at? They will. I really, truly believe that. I don't have any reason to feel otherwise. But there's always a chance. You never really know baseball is a crazy sport and anything can happen. But hopefully it can be sustained and will be because this is a good fun baseball team to watch right now. And lastly, the biggest question is to me, where do they stack up compared to the rest of their division? Are they truly better than the Orioles and Yankees? Are they just playing good baseball and the Orioles caught them at a good time early on in the season when the Red Sox weren't playing as well. Did the Yankees catch them when they were playing a lot better baseball? You know, it's hard to really say for sure. I feel like when you put the Red Sox neck and neck against the Orioles, I still do give the Orioles the edge. They're just a very good solid baseball team all around. They have, you know, somebody who potentially could end up being one of the best catchers of all time and Adley Ruchman, they have Gunnar Henderson on the team who is also incredibly talented rookie of the year last year. And their pitching staff now has Corbin Burns on it, which was kind of the missing piece that they needed there. So I still feel like the Orioles are at the top of the division, but the Red Sox don't need to win their division to make a deep playoff run. We've seen them do this in the past. And the Yankees, I feel like are not as good as the Red Sox at the end of the day. If you put the two teams together right now on paper, the Yankees should be better. But I think the Red Sox are a more complete team in terms of their ability to execute the way they need to execute. They have the vastly better manager in Alex Cora. They have a group of guys who are very hungry and work well together and want to win. They have a more balanced lineup as opposed to the Yankees relying heavily on Judge Ensodo and Stanton when he's healthy to carry their lineup and bring their power bats. And then lots of swings and misses up and down the rest of that lineup. So the Red Sox make up of their lineup. I feel like is better. And at the end of the day, when you put these three teams up next to each other, I'm going Orioles Red Sox Yankees at the end of the day. I think the Red Sox could pass the Yankees and finish second in the division and clinch a wild card spot. And it'll be exciting to watch that unfold. And when you look at this Red Sox team and question marks, you know, can they stay healthy? Is another big one too? Because they have not been able to stay on the field. It's one injury after another. Somebody comes off the I.L. And then somebody else gets placed on the I.L. So I want to see a fully healthy Red Sox team that can go out there and compete. And obviously we won't get a fully healthy team this year because Trevor Story is out for the year. Lucas G. Alito's out for the year. Liam Hendricks is supposed to be coming back in August. So the question becomes, is that actually happening? Is he going to be back soon? Should we expect him to be throwing out of this bullpen? What will that look like? Do the Red Sox see him as their pitching addition so they don't need to go out and trade for somebody else? Because they have him coming back. Is he in a good enough spot right now to be considered an upgrade? So that is something that I'm looking at with the rest of this season is, can the Red Sox stay on the field? That's a hard question to answer. An impossible one really to answer right now. You don't really know if a team is going to stay fully healthy or not. You don't know when guys are going to get these fluke injuries that might put them on the I.L. for a week or so. Injuries, unfortunately, are part of the game. I wish they weren't. They are. But can the Red Sox maintain a level of health to the point where their number one guys are able to be on the field? It'll be fun when Costas comes back. Is he going to be able to contribute at the same level he was early on before he got injured? Hopefully the answer to that question is yes. And Dom Smith, I mean, he actually had a big game on Sunday against the Royals. But obviously, Tristan Costas is an upgrade from him at first base. So I'd like to see Costas come back and be one of the biggest contributors in the lineup. So health, health, health is what I'm looking at right now when it comes to where the Red Sox are at in their future after the All-Star break is over. So can they stay healthy? Where are they really in terms of their ability level with the rest of the division? I feel like when you look at the Rays and Blue Jays, the Red Sox are miles above those two teams, which I definitely did not expect to happen, especially going neck and neck with a team like the Blue Jays and all the talent they have in that lineup. I expected them to be better than they are this year. So they've been a big disappointment across Major League Baseball overall. But the Red Sox are a legitimate baseball team and it's been fun to watch them. And there are going to be question marks that just remain until the end of the season. That's just how it goes. But do the Red Sox have the capability? I absolutely feel like they do. They have a lot of talent on the team right now. Lots of guys who are just so determined to prove people wrong. And they kind of remind me of the 2004 Red Sox, just the idiots that just wanted to win. And just when things were going tough, just got back up and kept going and started winning more games and more games. And obviously, you know, hopefully this Red Sox team doesn't go down 03 in the ALCS and really give us a full throwback to the 04 team. But in terms of their attitudes and how special this group of guys is, it's hard to not want to bet money on them to at least make a decent playoff run, maybe win a series and then see how things go from there. You never know. Just take it one game at a time in the playoffs and the most surprising team sometimes could come out of it all. And nobody thought the Diamondbacks were going to be in the World Series last year. So that was definitely a surprising one. So it really goes to show that you never know, can't take the fee off the gas when the season is still going on. And with this Red Sox team, I expect lots of exciting things as we go into this second half after the All-Star break. And this is a much needed break for these guys. I mean, they've worked so hard and having that ability to do what they've been doing all season long and just grind through a tough schedule. And when baseball games, they earned this break. So I'm excited to see what they do when they get back from it. But health is going to be a key factor and lots of guys have to maintain the level of success they're maintaining now. And we definitely need a couple of guys to step up. I did mention Brian Baio being as somebody in that category who needs to just do a little bit more in the second half of the season. And, you know, I'm looking at guys like well, you're a brand new Rob Refsider who are platooning a little bit and alternating playing in the outfield depending on the pitching match up. Those guys have an opportunity for a huge second half with the way the Red Sox outfield situation is right now. They have definitely opportunities to be able to shine as the season progresses. And from a catching standpoint, Connor Wong, hopefully is going to keep having the season that he's been having. I feel confident that he will, he's just been basically unstoppable this year behind the dish and in front of it. So it's been cool to watch him play. He's just been so much fun. And I can't wait for the rest of this season. It's flying by, it's hard to believe that we're already almost out of the all-star break. And then before we know it, it's going to be playoff talk. So as always, in the meantime, keep the faith, go Red Sox, enjoy the all-star game tonight and I will catch you on the flip side. (upbeat music) - A Prime members, you can listen to this lock-down podcast, add free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music app today. Download the Amazon Music app today! [MUSIC PLAYING]
