Gotta give credit where it's due for the first-place Red Sox: Strahm, Diekman, Robles and Whitlock. All were unheralded pick-ups by Bloom, deftly used by Cora, and arguably the most valuable players on the team through the first dozen games.
Hopefully, if management has learned anything from the past few years, it will take steps soon to fortify this core before inevitable burn-out. Counting on meaningful contributions from Paxton and/or Sale, and thereby moving another starter to the bullpen is a longshot. Maybe some younger, flexible arms promoted from the farms can give a second-half boost...