The Red Sox are in the postseason, but the final week still has plenty riding on it.
Boston sits at 84-72 after Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, a defeat that came after other American League results locked in the club’s second straight playoff berth. So the ticket is punched. What’s left is figuring out how sharp this team looks when October opens.
All six remaining games will be played at Fenway Park, starting with a three-game set against the Cleveland Guardians. The Red Sox host Cleveland at 6:45 p.m.
ET on Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. Wednesday and 6:45 p.m.
Thursday. Then Boston finishes the regular season with three games against the Chicago Cubs from Friday through Sunday.
That stretch brings different kinds of pressure. Cleveland is still fighting to hold off the Chicago White Sox in the standings, while the Cubs come in at 87-69 after a 9-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Pete Crow-Armstrong added his 45th home run Sunday and continues to look like one of the National League’s most dangerous power-speed threats.
For Boston, though, the first order of business is much simpler: get the bats going again.
The offense was quiet in Sunday’s loss, producing just six hits. Trevor Story’s ninth-inning homer kept the Red Sox from being shut out, but the bigger missed chance came earlier, when Boston loaded the bases in the fifth and came away empty. Roman Anthony struck out to end that rally.
Patrick Sandoval took the loss after giving up five runs, though he did settle in after a rough first inning and finished seven frames. The result left Boston at 84-72.
Now Chad Tracy has to walk a tightrope over the final week. The Red Sox need enough game speed to sharpen the lineup and sort through any lingering pitching questions, but they also can’t run the risk of wearing out or hurting key players right before the postseason.
The bullpen is another major item on the checklist. Tight games against Cleveland and Chicago should give Tracy a chance to sort through late-inning roles and test the combinations he’d prefer to trust once October begins.
Boston can’t catch Tampa Bay in the American League East, and the New York Yankees remain ahead in second place. That leaves the last six games focused on playoff position, health and momentum.
The invitation is already in hand. Now the Red Sox have to decide what kind of team walks through the door.
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Cubs Face A Stressful Fenway Twist At The Worst Time
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For Boston, the timing is especially awkward because any disruption could force MLB into a scramble for makeup dates or a doubleheader, the kind of logistical headache that can ripple through a tight September schedule. The league has already dealt with a similar weather-driven adjustment earlier this season with the Mets and Braves, and Fenway could be the next park where the calendar becomes part of the story. [Read more 🡒]