BOSTON -- There has not been a hotter team in baseball in the month of July than the Boston Red Sox, who carry a 12-1 record in Sunday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Red Sox, thanks to a 20-year high 12-game winning streak, have gone from left for dead to sole possession of the final wild card spot in the American League. With the tenor of the season completely shifted, Boston Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow gave some insight into his approach heading into the August 3 trade deadline. 

For months, Breslow reiterated his belief in the Red Sox roster, saying time and again that the team was more than capable of playing much better and going on a run to get back into contention. Now that the run has arrived, he wasn't willing to go as far as to say that the team will look to be buyers at the deadline, telling MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo, "I don’t think a 12-game streak should determine exactly what we do. But we’ve absolutely taken notice. We’ve put ourselves in a good position, and that’s going to be very influential in how we approach the deadline.”

Among the determining factors for Breslow is the health status of several key contributors, including Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet, both of whom have been on the injured list for much of the Chad Tracy era; starters Connelly Early and Ranger Suarez; and shortstop Trevor Story. 

"The next 10 days or so are going to be really critical in informing that, understanding where guys like Ranger (Suarez) and (Connelly) Early are in the short term, understanding where Roman (Anthony) is, and Garrett (Crochet) is, and Trevor (Story), because that’s going to help dictate not just what we do, but where we focus," Breslow told Cotillo. 

Also included in Breslow's calculus is the fact that crowded wild-card races in both the American and National Leagues have left an unclear picture about which teams may be looking to sell off pieces. "Until we know what teams are looking to do, and until we know what’s available, it’s really difficult to say like, ‘Hey, this is what we’re going to do'," he said. 

However, if the Red Sox do choose to make additions, Breslow made it clear they would most likely come in the form of lineup upgrades, saying, "At times we’ve struggled to score runs. So, I think that’s a place where we’ll spend time."

On June 26, the Red Sox had just a 12.1 percent chance of making the postseason; still, though, Breslow believed this was a team capable of going on a run, telling WEEI's The Greg Hill Show, "It's true we can believe in the roster that we have. We can believe in our players and know that we're capable of playing better... We have to win a lot of baseball games, and we don't have a ton of time to do it. I believe that we're capable of doing it.” 

Now, just 23 days later, Boston's playoff odds have ballooned to 53.3 percent. After months of speaking with incredible conviction that the run was right around the corner, it's time for Breslow to act with that same conviction to add to his roster. 

While the injury statuses of Crochet, Suarez, and Early are crucial to the Red Sox' success down the stretch, none of the three offer significant lineup upgrades. And while both Anthony and Story were thought to be key pieces ahead of the season, both turned in underwhelming performances relative to preseason expectations before landing on the injured list. 

The Red Sox have not only one of baseball's best rotations, but one of the best rotations the franchise has seen in the last 50 years, one that any team would hate to draw in a playoff series. If that type of team isn't worth investing in ahead of the trade deadline, then it's hard to imagine what it would take for Breslow to make meaningful additions.

After disappointing results in each of Breslow's first two deadlines, it's time for him to strike while the iron is hot and give this team the reinforcements they've earned over the last month. 

The MLB Trade deadline is August 3 at 6:00 p.m. ET. 

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