The Red Sox have duplicated what, on May 21, stands as a relatively dubious achievement.
With Thursday night’s 6-2 victory over the Twins at Fenway Park, the Sox are 22-20 — matching their most games over .500 this season.
So while the team has shown encouraging signs of life since the devastating loss in New York on Monday night, there is still considerable work left to be done to make a race of it in the AL East. Even at 22-20, the Sox are locked into their worst 42-game record since the current run of postseason appearances began in 2003.
In those previous seasons, the Sox used interleague play as an 18-game energy-boost; a chance to beat up on the lesser-likes of the National League, posting double-digit victory totals in six of the past seven cycles.
But in the one season where win-padding has never been more needed, the Sox remain at a disadvantage.
Starting Friday in Philadelphia, Boston will face the two-time defending-NL champion Phillies, and their NL-best winning percentage six times over the next month. Conversely, the Yankees play the sub-.500 Mets six times, and the Rays draw Florida for its six-game set.
And while all three AL East combatants get three games with lowly Arizona, the Red Sox are the only member of the trio not to draw lowly Houston.
