Tori Sheffer

Are we finally rid of the Texas Rangers? Plus, what to look forward to ahead of the Baltimore Orioles series.

Well, a lot has happened in the past week for the Red Sox. On the field and off, the Sox have been making headlines. After the frustration from the Astros series boiled over in the Sox leadoff man’s sixth-inning at bat, Duran then uttered an anti-gay slur, dividing Red Sox nation down two distinct lines, those who understand the weight of the word used and how it would effect those who admire him, and those who don’t understand how hurtful simple words can be sometimes. 

The first two games of the Rangers’ visit to Fenway were the first two that Jarren Duran did not see from the starting lineup. With fans questioning how the lineup would fare without his presence leading the team off, there was a silent worry for what was going to happen on the field now that the breakout star’s season began to dim; however, the Sox did not disappoint. Both games Duran sat out, the Sox eased fans’ worries by taking the series from the Rangers in the first two games (one in walk-off fashion thanks to veteran Lefty-Killer, Rob Refsnyder).

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

The toughest moment from the first two games was when veteran left-hander, James Paxton, went down at the beginning of the first game, suffering from a right-calf tear that is now ultimately ending his Red Sox reunion tour after having a moderately decent start in LA after playing his 2023 season with the Sox as well.

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

The only reason the Sox didn’t pull out a sweep was because the bullpen, yet again, started causing trouble for the team. Josh Winckowski came into the game in the bottom of the ninth, just three outs away from a 7-5 win, lets up a 91 mph cutter that just hung at the bottom of the zone enough for Rangers rookie, Wyatt Langford, to crush and tie up the game, forcing the two teams to go into extras for a second game in that series. While the superstitious part of me wants to believe Jarren has put a new curse on the Sox twenty years after the original curse was broken, I know that there might just be too much movement right now for the boys to settle in and play some good ball. With the possibility of getting Casas back, and having Jarren settle in after having a few days to himself, we might see the beginnings of a meaningful October push.