At 55-36, the Red Sox enter the second half tied for the best record in the American League with the Astros and White Sox and hold a 1.5-game lead over the Rays in the A.L. East.
Even with their success, Chaim Bloom has some holes to fill on the roster to give Alex Cora the tools he needs to win in October.
The Red Sox need at least one starting pitcher, some left-handed depth on the bench, and another arm in the bullpen.
Starting the second half tonight in New York, Bloom has added top prospects Jarren Duran and Tanner Houck to the major league roster.
Duran could be the left-handed hitting outfielder that Boston desperately needs. He has skyrocketed through the system by hitting for average and displaying elite athleticism, and this year has demonstrated the ability to hit for power at Triple-A Worcester with 15 home runs in the first half.
Houck, who has already seen time in the Boston rotation early this season, could offer an upgrade in the rotation over Garrett Richards or could be inserted as a power arm in the bullpen to help set up Matt Barnes and Adam Ottavino. The Red Sox also expect staff ace Chris Sale to return in the next few weeks, which should be a major improvement to the rotation.
Bloom needs to be thinking October. Alex Cora will need four proven starters, a deep bullpen, and a versatile bench to win the A.L. Pennant and the World Series. By allowing Cora to take a two week look at Duran and Houck before the trade deadline, Bloom may be able to solve the roster issues internally without giving up any significant prospects in a trade.
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