Yankees injuring Chris Sale might’ve finally decimated Boston’s core

A week after the New York Yankees escaped Boston with one of the most disappointing series splits you’ll ever witness, they came out triumphant over their division rivals in a three-game set right before the All-Star break.

The Bombers, despite a surge from the Tampa Bay Rays, still hold a 13-game lead in the AL East and have increased their cushion over the Sox to 16.5. But … but we thought Alex Verdugo broke Clay Holmes and forced the Yankees to lose five of their next six games?

That did happen momentarily. But the Sox couldn’t gain ground because they were too busy using that precious momentum from last week’s season-saving miracle split by getting swept by the Rays (in a four-game series!) then being outscored 27-3 in the final two games this weekend right before a much-needed breather.

Now, with the trade deadline a couple weeks away and JD Martinez’s comments about Boston’s core looming even larger, is it too early to say the Yankees might’ve finally ended this iteration of the Red Sox as we know them?

If the two-day beatdown after the Red Sox hanging on for dear life for an extra innings victory on Friday wasn’t enough, Aaron Hicks broke Chris Sale’s finger in just his second start of the season (and just his 36th since the start of 2019!) with a vicious line drive in the first inning of Sunday’s finale.

And it’s now prompted Boston media (subscription required) to suggest the Red Sox should go into “sell mode” before Aug. 2.

Yankees injuring Chris Sale might’ve finally ended this era of Boston baseball

There’s long been speculation of the Red Sox breaking things up, ever since Chaim Bloom arrived and promptly traded Mookie Betts. Now, with contract drama surrounding the team’s other two franchise players — Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers — in addition to so many others headed for free agency, a Red Sox squad treading water won’t convince an executive like Bloom to buy at the deadline.

Instead, he’d like rather sell, collect assets, and build the next contender in Beantown, meaning the Yankees might’ve seen the last version of the rivalry that’s somehow gotten the better of them since 2018.

If that’s the additional victory Yankees fans can take out of this weekend, it’ll be well worth it. It’ll be great not to face Nathan Eovaldi in the AL East again. Goodbye Christian Vazquez, you cocky loudmouth. Adios, JD Martinez. All of that can happen as early as two weeks from now, with guys like Bogaerts, Kiké Hernandez, Jackie Bradley Jr., Michael Wacha, and more likely leaving in free agency come November (they could all be traded too, but is Bloom really going to deal the entire roster?!).

Instead, we’ll gladly watch Sale continue to eat up the top of Boston’s payroll alongside the disappointing Trevor Story. Yeah, that’s more like it.

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