Are the Red Sox Really World Series Contenders? + September Surprises

From Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball The Athletic

The Boston Red Sox have gone from one of MLB's biggest disappointments to a legitimate September contender. DVR, Eno and Britt Ghiroli discuss Boston's remarkable turnaround, whether Craig Breslow's changes actually fixed something within the organization and whether the Red Sox should now be viewed as a legitimate World Series threat.

First, Ketel Marte returns to the Diamondbacks following a 13-game absence. DVR, Eno and Britt discuss the reaction in Arizona, Torey Lovullo's handling of the situation and what the latest chapter could mean for Marte's long-term future with the D-backs.

Then it's time for a few September surprises. Aaron Nola put together a strong August after struggling for much of the season, Rafael Devers reached 30 home runs for the fifth time in his career and Alex Bregman's second-half power surge has quietly put him among MLB's home run leaders since the beginning of July.

Britt, DVR and Eno also discuss the controversy surrounding comments made on the Red Sox radio broadcast about Jazz Chisholm Jr. and the larger question it raises about the increasingly blurry line between broadcasters, reporters and fans.

Plus the Baltimore Orioles are finally back to .500. Colton Cowser's incredible catch helped Baltimore reach the mark for the first time since April, but the Orioles' improvement goes much deeper.

Finally, the conversation turns to Dodgers owner Mark Walter and the questions surrounding his broader business empire. How relevant are those financial issues to baseball, and how much of the Dodgers'

Rates & Barrels is your home for smart MLB analysis, advanced stats, fantasy baseball and the stories shaping the game with Derek VanRiper, Eno Sarris and Britt Ghiroli.

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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris

Contributor: Britt Ghiroli

Executive Producer: McEnroe Francis

Editor: McEnroe Francis

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