It's a 162 game season. There are ups, there are down, good teams look bad, bad teams look good, etc. Last year's team was on a 4-22 run in late July/August. Then the future WS champions came to town and the Sox swept them. This year's team just happened to have one of their best stretch when the Yankees and Red Sox were around, it happens. It's more randomness than the Kopech injury.