Everything changes quickly in the American League East. Three days ago the New York Yankees looked like they were taking control, opening up a 3 1/2-game lead over the rival Boston Red Sox with the Tampa Bay Rays a bit further back at 7 1/2 games behind.
Now, after a single weekend, the Red Sox are just a half-game behind the Yankees for first place. And Boston is the team that improved itself at Major League Baseball’s trade deadline by adding catcher Victor Martinez from Cleveland and first baseman Casey Kotchman from Atlanta. New York simply added utility player Jerry Hairston. Tampa Bay made no significant moves. Will that lack of activity haunt each team down the stretch?
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What the Red Sox have done is give themselves an elite bench and protected themselves against further injuries to third baseman Mike Lowell, 35. They also get to protect catcher Jason Varitek, 37, who has looked ragged in recent weeks. Martinez can spell him there, play at first when Lowell needs a rest — Kevin Youkilis would move to third — and be the designated hitter when matchups don’t favor slugger David Ortiz. It’s no surprise that after a stint on the disabled list to rest a chronic hip injury, Lowell has been one of Boston’s hottest hitter over the last two weeks. Plus, Kotchman gives the Red Sox an excellent defensive option at first base late in games. Even better? As much as it pained Martinez to leave the Indians, both he and Kotchman won’t complain too much about reduced roles. After all — now they’re in a pennant race.
“I love this game and I play this game to win. Whatever I can do to help this team win I’m going to be more than happy to do,” Martinez said over the weekend at Camden Yards, where Boston swept the Orioles. “In my career I’ve been like this [in a pennant race] twice. I get a chance to come over here with a pretty good chance to win a World Series. It can’t be better than that.”
