The Red Sox have clinched a playoff spot after a dramatic reversal of fortune this season. Boston rebounded from a rough first half to lock up postseason baseball for the second straight year, per multiple reports.
The turnaround is particularly striking given where the team stood earlier in the season. After being 14 games under .500 in June, according to reporting, the Red Sox managed to reach the postseason. Per one source citing a historical record, Boston joins the 1914 Miracle Braves, 1974 Pirates, and 2005 Astros as the only teams to reach the postseason after falling as many as 14 games under .500.
CBS Sports identified three reasons why Boston qualifies as a legitimate World Series contender at this stage of the season.