This question hovered around the team as last year’s trade deadline approached, too. In 2024, a middling Red Sox team to start the year found its groove in June, going 21-14 from June 1 through July 14 to close out the first half. That convinced chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to buy.

Hours after the Red Sox swept the Yankees on Sunday night, they made their second franchise-changing trade over the last five-plus years.