What happened: The Red Sox swept the Tampa Bay Rays and extended their winning streak to 11 games, pulling Boston back to .500 at 48-48. It marks the first time the club has been at .500 since March 28, the second game of the season.

Why it matters: Boston's turnaround follows a stretch that had the team weighing a sell-off, with a fire-sale approach floated amid an injury crisis just weeks ago. The 11-game run instead pushes the front office toward buying rather than selling with the trade deadline approaching.

What to watch: Boston looks to extend the streak past 11 games as the Aug. 3 trade deadline nears.