None of that is a surprise given the standings. The Red Sox are hanging around a playoff race at 54-50, while the Athletics sit at 44-61 and are widely expected to be sellers before the trade deadline. Every game left on Oakland's schedule matters more for evaluating who sticks around than for who wins.
The form gap here is stark. Boston has won 3 of its last 5 and, more notably, has been playing under interim manager Chad Tracy since late April — a stretch that's included a 14-game winning streak and has people around the organization talking about dropping the 'interim' tag. The Athletics, meanwhile, have lost 4 of their last 5, including a 5-15 blowout loss to Arizona, and their run differential has been among the worst in the league most of the year.
Boston's absences are mostly pitching depth — Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Johan Oviedo and Kutter Crawford are all shelved, which is why a rookie like Tolle is getting a real look. Oakland's are more offensive: losing Rooker and now Langeliers strips out two of the lineup's few reliable bats, and it's hard to see where the pop comes from behind them. On paper and in practice, this reads like a team playing meaningful baseball hosting one that's already thinking about August.