Red Sox Are Only Back if They Show Up Against Twins
By Seth Carlson
Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez entered the visiting clubhouse after Boston's sweep of the Orioles and proclaimed, "Hey guys- we're back". Did the defending champs just sweep their most recent series? Sure. Are they perhaps also catching some good feelings after beating up on a bad team? Definitely.
Let's be clear: A sweep is a great thing in baseball, given the natural unpredictability of the game. But the Orioles? They're only the worst team in the American League by record, at 21-50, just as we all saw coming. And while the series was in Baltimore, Camden Yards is one of the best hitters' parks in the MLB.
Christian Vazquez, after Red Sox sweep, walked by media in clubhouse and said: “Hey guys - we’re back.”
— Jason Mastrodonato (@JMastrodonato) June 16, 2019
The Red Sox might also be forgetting a bit of their recent history: they lost series in June to the Yankees and Rays, while sweeping the lowly Royals. They did hang tough against the surprising Texas Rangers, but who knows if that team will be able to sustain their winning ways.
In other words, the Red Sox lost the series that mattered most when evaluating how a team is doing. That's why this week against the Twins will reveal a lot about how 'back' the defending champs truly are.
Since the Red Sox beat the Yankees on Sunday Night Baseball on June 2, they've lost 8 of their last 11 games, the worst record in the American League, second worst record in the majors to the Pirates. #MLB
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) June 15, 2019
A hugely important test awaits the Red Sox at Target Field. What the team does with a chance to show off against a dominant Twins squad could very well make or break Boston's legitimacy in 2019.