2 signs Red Sox could be cracking under pressure from Yankees in AL East

by Felix Pantaleón

The Boston Red Sox began the season by winning 17 of their first 18 games. However they lost two of three games to the New York Yankees last week and now sit one game out in the AL East. Red Sox reliever Carson Smith won’t be around to help close the gap, after landing on the 10-day disabled list with a right shoulder injury.

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The Boston Red Sox began the 2018 MLB season by running off 17 wins in their first 18 games. They ended April looking like the team to beat, not only in the American League, but in all of the big leagues.

It’s been a different story in May, especially since Boston dropped two of three games to the Yankees last week at Yankee Stadium.

The Red Sox are just 3-5 in their last eight games, and have fallen one game behind the Yankees in the AL East.

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Are the Sox showing signs of cracking?

Read what you will into the following story. The Red Sox have placed reliever Carson Smith on the 10-day disabled list with a right shoulder injury.

The kicker is in how Smith hurt his shoulder.

Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said that Smith suffered the injury throwing his glove in the dugout after he was pulled from Monday’s game, a 6-5 loss to the Oakland A’s at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.

Smith had given up a solo home run by A’s left fielder Khris Davis in the top of the eighth inning before being pulled from the game.

Per NBCSports.com:

Dombrowski said the injury is “unfortunate.” There is currently no timetable for Smith’s recovery, but Dombrowski said, “It’s got the potential of being a major injury.”

On top of that, the agent for Red Sox outfielder/catcher Blake Swihart has requested a trade, according to NBC Sports Boston.

“Yes. We’ve had conversations with the team, and they’re aware of how we feel,” Scoffield told NBC Sports Boston on Tuesday night. “Blake’s in a really difficult position. We’ve got a switch-hitter, offensive impact player, and his bat deserves a chance to be in the lineup.

“Blake’s not the type of player that’s going to ask or demand a trade [on his own]. He’s focused on what’s in front of him and happy having a positive impact on the team and the situation at hand. That being said, I don’t think we’re building any type of trade value, nor helping him progress as a ballplayer, nor is the team really being served by him in this role.”

Swihart has played in 15 games this season. In 29 at-bats, he’s hitting .138.

His next chance to play comes Wednesday, when Boston tries to avoid being swept by the Oakland A’s.

The Red Sox will have ace Chris Sale on the mound.

Sale struck out a season-high 15 batters in his most recent start last Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays.