After their offseason acquisition of Chris Sale, the Red Sox were billed as a World Series favorite. But so far the club has looked less like a threat to make a deep October run and more like a question mark to even make the playoffs.
The last week was a microcosm of the Sox' inconsistent season to date. After a two-game sweep in St. Louis, the Sox dropped three straight to Oakland. Boston, which is 22-21, is skating above .500 and seems to take a step back every time it makes a few steps forward.
Sale, of course, has more than held up his end of the bargain, but the Sox have been maddeningly inconsistent almost everywhere else.