The Red Sox have entered a crucial stretch. It’s not quite the stretch run, but it’s a critical juncture of the season, nonetheless.

The headline story now, as it has been all season, is the bullpen. Since the start of the season, when Keith Foulke came out of the gate struggling, it has been an issue. Foulke ultimately went on the disabled list, and Curt Schilling stepped in to close out nine of 11 save opportunities.

Now, Schilling is back in the starting rotation, where he belongs. That is an important part of the postseason hopes for Boston. Schilling said he feels as strong as he did at any point last season, and that he believes he can be the same top-flight starter he was in 2004.

That’s tremendous news. Now, what about the bullpen?

Mike Timlin is the closer for now. Foulke is ready to work his way back into the bullpen, but he’s not there yet.

Timlin pitched a pair of ninth innings on the recently completed road trip, and both were adventurous. On Tuesday, he gave up three hits, a walk, and two runs before getting Chip Ambres to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the game. It wasn’t a save situation, but it was a ninth-inning appearance for Timlin, his first without either Foulke or Schilling in the pen.

Jonathan Papelbon has pitched well in his three starts, and pitched reasonably well out of the bullpen in his first relief appearance Thursday. Some thought Papelbon might step in with his impressive stuff, but manager Terry Francona would have none of it Friday.

“You don’t take 17 years of pro baseball and say, thanks,'” said Francona. “We love Timlin.”

Francona said this excitement over rookies can be chalked up to the “talk radio era.”

“A guy pitches well once and he’s got to be in the Hall of Fame,” said Francona.

Papelbon is not ready for the Hall of Fame, but he does throw a “heavy ball,” a hard fastball that seems to explode as it gets to home plate. It’s the kind of fastball that would look pretty good late in a tight game.

Then, there’s Craig Hansen. The organization determined that it was too soon to bring him up to the big leagues, deciding instead to ramp up his workload in Double-A Portland. They’re sticking him in different situations rather than using him at the end of games – trying to get him to deal with tough spots (runners on and such) when he comes into games. He had yet to give up a run in 8.1 innings pitched coming into Friday’s game. Opponents were hitting .188 against him.

Timlin, Papelbon, Mike Myers and Chad Bradford have earned spots in the bullpen. There are two positions available. Foulke, the rehabbing Wade Miller, and a host of others will battle for those spots. Who fills them – and how well they fill them – will ultimately dictate where this team goes in October.

Lewiston native Tom Caron is a studio host for Red Sox telecasts on NESN.