Even as the Red Sox acknowledge the possibility of becoming deadline sellers this year, they are far from committing to such a path. The team’s decision makers still hope the club will forge a run to prove itself worthy of reinforcements rather than subtractions leading up to the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
In order for that to happen, however, the Sox must address a key factor in their plummet towards the bottom of the American League: To this point, the Sox have been chum in the AL East waters.
If the Red Sox had merely been mediocre within the American League East, their 2026 season wouldn’t be imperiled. The club’s 23-26 mark outside the division is hardly spectacular, but given that a .500 record right now is good enough to hold an AL wild-card spot, it’s not disqualifying.
But after Tuesday’s 6-1 loss to the Blue Jays, the Sox have a horrendous 6-15 mark against divisional opponents – the second-worst record by any AL team within its own division. (Only the Tigers, with a 6-16 mark against the AL Central, had an inferior mark.)
Read more from Alex Speier at BostonGlobe.com/Sports. | 
