It's impossible to ignore the numbers: if the Red Sox only play .500 baseball the rest of the season, they'd finish with 86 wins, which was enough to qualify for the playoffs last year. This scorching hot stretch –– in which the Red Sox have won 17 of their last 23 games against the dregs of the league –– has been enough to catapult them into surefire playoff contention.

The offense carried the Red Sox to their 6-1 home stand, as the starting staff posted a 4.57 ERA. Given how prolific this offense is, the Red Sox may not need their starters to do much more the rest of the season. But if this team is serious about making a deep playoff run, the rotation remains a question.

In the "Around the League" segment, Alex looks at the AL East standings and also talks about why the Texas Rangers should be ashamed of their conduct over the weekend. He also explains why the Stephen Strasburg extension is a win for both sides.

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