Ever since the Rafael Devers trade, Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has been clear about his deadline plan: be aggressive. At the time, it sounded like he might be punching above his weight class. The Sox were a few games out of the Wild Card and weren't in a position to be aggressive buyers in late July.
Then, a 10-game win streak headed into the All-Star break pulled Boston into the thick of the playoff hunt. They held a wildcard spot and weren't far behind Toronto for the division lead. All of a sudden, Breslow's plan seemed more viable.