BOSTON -- Eight days earlier, in this very room on the second floor of Fenway Park, John Farrell said he was "embarrassed" by the Boston Red Sox’s worst loss in years, a 21-2 thumping by the Los Angeles Angels. Meanwhile, the disenchanted proletariat that hangs out on social media and talk radio wanted the manager not only fired but strung up by his sneakers on Yawkey Way.

So, Farrell knew better than to get too high-strung Sunday over a sweep-completing 4-0 victory over the pathetic Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox's sixth victory in seven games heading into the All-Star break.

"Yeah," Farrell said, "I think this homestand was what we needed."

Let us count the ways.

It wasn't so much that the Red Sox finished 7-2 to remain tied with the Toronto Blue Jays, two games off the Baltimore Orioles’ pace in the AL East. And it certainly wasn't that they got fat against the Rays, who have inexplicably lost 22 of 25 games, or even that David Price finally dominated like a $217 million ace should by allowing four hits over eight scoreless innings.

No, it was something more that sent the Red Sox soaring into the four-day respite. It was the trio of trades for veteran infielder Aaron Hill, dependable reliever Brad Ziegler and even light-hitting utilityman Michael Martinez that left the roster looking and feeling more complete.

"I think that's one thing [president of baseball operations] Dave [Dombrowski] has proven over the course of his career, the proactiveness or recognizing what our current needs are and what we anticipate we'll need as we go forward," Farrell said. "You're always going to need depth, and of late, the timing of the trades that we've made have been uncanny given the injuries that have cropped up."

To be clear, the Red Sox still must deal with some big issues once the second half begins. They will be without closer Craig Kimbrel until at least mid-August after he has surgery Monday to repair cartilage in his left knee. Their rotation hinges on either a revival from lefty Eduardo Rodriguez or a trade in a seller's market for starting pitching. And in perhaps their greatest challenge, they will play 44 of their final 75 games on the road, a brutal travel schedule that includes two West Coast trips and four trips of nine or more games.

But they will have some wind at their back in the form of a 49-38 record as play resumes Friday night at Yankee Stadium, to say nothing of a high-powered offense led by retiring franchise icon David Ortiz and the young homegrown trio of Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr.

If Price is able to use his lights-out performance against the Rays -- "It was an example of what everyone sees as David's capabilities," Farrell said -- as a springboard to a better second half, so much the better. And while Kimbrel is out, the Red Sox will gladly take more eight-pitch 1-2-3 innings from the submarining Ziegler, acquired early Saturday morning from the Arizona Diamondbacks for two low-level minor leaguers.

"To me, teams that have been successful on the road, you can point to their bullpen as a main reason why," Farrell said. "The depth of it, being able to go to quality arms late in games where you're just trying to keep a game tied or close. With the number of quality hitters in our division, [Ziegler] gives us a guy that could potentially match up favorably, a veteran guy that's pitched late in the game in important roles. He adds a lot of proven experience and performance to that back end."

Said Ziegler: "I don't really care what my role is. I'm just excited to be on a contender and try to help the team win. I'm really looking forward to the last two and a half months of the regular season, plus hopefully a long month of October."

A 7-2 homestand in July doesn't provide any guarantees. It does, however, change the mood and possibly even the conversation after that 21-2 humiliation eight days ago.

For now, the "Fire Farrell" crowd can stand down.

"Honestly, my focus is always going to be remaining inside our walls with the guys in the clubhouse, their needs," Farrell said. "I think anything that might be said outside Fenway can only be a potential distraction. I don't pay a whole lot of attention to it."

After the best week of the season, Farrell won't have to. Not until next Friday night in New York, at least.