Baseball

The Mead trade shows the Red Sox are serious about contending, but one infielder won't close the gap in the AL East.

Ceddanne Rafaela's first career grand slam lifts Boston past Oakland in Sacramento. A promising sign, if the rest of the rotation can catch up.

Curtis Mead arrives from Australia as potential infield depth, then gets hit by a pitch in his debut.

CJ Abrams arrived to solve the shortstop crisis and got injured in his debut. Now the Red Sox are scrambling again.

Red Sox's East Coast success gets tested in Sacramento as Tolle takes the ball against the A's in a crucial road trip.

Kristian Campbell delivers with two doubles as Worcester wins; Franklin Arias' hitless streak at Triple-A continues to be concerning.

Red Sox West Coast trips are a scheduling nightmare for East Coast fans. Great talent deserves better timing.

The Red Sox are riding a 15-game winning streak with six straight series wins. Oakland's next on the menu.

The Curtis Mead trade signals the end of an era. Tsung-Che Cheng's absence from the 15-game win streak is the real story.

Ranger Suarez returns from the IL to lead the Red Sox against Kevin Gausman in a crucial series finale versus Toronto.

Craig Breslow's mid-season shopping spree signals genuine contention, but Boston's path to October runs through depth, not star power.

Red Sox trade homegrown lefty Connelly Early to Nationals for Curtis Mead, betting on immediate help over future rotation depth.

Dylan Cease was untouchable as Toronto blanked Boston 6-0. The Red Sox lineup offered nothing against an All-Star in his prime.