The Red Sox know their October path now, and it starts with the same opponent that’s been waiting on the other side of the rivalry all along.
Boston has locked into the No. 2 American League wild-card spot after beating the Chicago Cubs on Friday afternoon, setting up a first-round trip to Yankee Stadium for a three-game series against the Yankees.
It’s the second straight year the Red Sox will head to New York for the opening round, with Game 1 set for Sep. 29.
The winner moves on to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Division Series.
The Yankees, for their part, have already secured the No. 1 wild-card spot, but their biggest question mark is still front and center: Aaron Judge remains on the Injured List and is very much in doubt. There has also been some buzz around Giancarlo Stanton potentially being able to factor into the playoffs, adding another layer to a series that was already guaranteed to draw plenty of attention.
On Boston’s side, the major concern is Willson Contreras. He’s still dealing with the aftermath of being hit by a pitch on Sep. 17, and his update on Thursday wasn’t encouraging.
"I mean it's frustrating, being honest. I was hoping to swing today.
Couldn't swing. I came into my locker, I was tearing up.
I'm being honest," Contreras said. "Because that's what we play for.
We play to play in October … and it's really frustrating when you're doing the best you can do and you're expecting to heal faster and that doesn't happen."
The good news is that his X-rays came back negative. The bad news is that Boston is still waiting, and with the offense struggling through September, the Red Sox need him back.
The final stretch of the regular season has also been a moving target. What was supposed to be a three-game series at Fenway Park from Friday through Sunday was altered into a Friday doubleheader, with the finale shifted to Saturday. Then, on Friday morning, Game 2 was moved up because of expected inclement weather in the area.
Now the season finale has been moved again. Boston will finish the regular season on Sunday at Tropicana Field against the Cubs, according to MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo.
In Other News...
Red Sox Suddenly Face A Huge Willson Contreras Playoff Concern
Willson Contreras right hand has become a late-week storyline for a Red Sox club that suddenly has to weigh its postseason plans around one of its most productive bats. The pain has lingered since he was hit by a pitch, and it has kept him from swinging in recent days, a development that immediately changes the tone around Bostons Wild Card Series preparations.
Contreras said he is unsure whether he will be able to play and made clear he intends to be straight with the team about where he stands. That matters because he leads the Red Sox in several offensive categories this season, and his presence would give Boston a much different look in a short series than his absence would. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Bats Just Raised An Awkward October Question
A night that was supposed to keep Boston in control of its October push instead turned into a reminder of how thin the margin can be when the bats go quiet. The Red Sox fell 1-0 to the Guardians at Fenway Park, with Angel Martnezs homer providing the only scoring in a game where Clevelands pitching staff, starting with opener Daniel Espino and including Joey Cantillo, smothered Boston all evening.
The bigger concern for the Red Sox was not just the loss, but how little they got going at the plate. Boston finished with only two hits, an ugly showing at a time when every game carries extra weight, and now has to move quickly into a split doubleheader against the Cubs the next day. After an outing like this, the question is less about one bad night than whether the offense can snap back fast enough to avoid making the standings even tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Garrett Crochet Just Gave The Red Sox Real Wild Card Hope
Garrett Crochet is giving the Red Sox a real reason to believe October could still get interesting, even as the final four games of the regular season unfold without him. Boston expects to learn more soon about the left-handers condition and whether he can be available for the playoffs, a development that matters a lot with a Wild Card series against the Yankees potentially on deck.
Crochet took an encouraging step by feeling good during his first intense live batting practice, a session the club moved to its spring training complex because of weather concerns. For a Red Sox team trying to line up its best arms for the postseason push, the next update on Crochet could loom large, because his status may end up shaping how confident Boston can feel about its chances when the games get bigger. [Read more 🡒]