The Red Sox and Guardians enter Wednesday with very different goals, even if both are still staring at October.
Boston is trying to make one more step toward locking up the American League’s No. 5 seed, a spot that would set up a wild-card matchup with the Yankees for the second straight year. Cleveland, meanwhile, is juggling its own chase, with the AL Central still in play and a postseason berth also within reach.
For the Red Sox, the path is straightforward enough. They’ve already punched their ticket to the postseason after clinching over the weekend, and they’re in position to secure the wild-card advantage over the White Sox on Wednesday if they win and Chicago loses. The White Sox are still alive in the AL Central race, but that combination would make it impossible for them to catch Boston, since the Red Sox hold the tiebreaker.
Even that wouldn’t officially seal the No. 5 seed, though. There’s still a narrow scenario where the Guardians, White Sox and Red Sox all finish 85-77, which would send Chicago to the top of the AL Central and leave the Boston-Cleveland tiebreaker to decide who gets the No. 5 spot.
Cleveland has a couple of doors open as well. The Guardians can clinch a postseason berth on Wednesday with a win and a loss by either the Rangers or Astros. MLB laid out the paths clearly:
-The Guardians can clinch a Postseason berth today with a win at BOS AND a loss by either TEX vs. NYM or HOU at SEA.
-The White Sox can clinch a Postseason berth today with a win at KC AND a loss by TEX vs. NYM.
-The Cubs can clinch a Postseason berth today with a win vs. MIA… https://t.co/1IbypND8At
- MLB (@MLB) September 23, 2026
At the same time, Cleveland’s hold on first place in the AL Central is far from secure. If the Guardians lose and the White Sox win, Chicago can finish Wednesday night alone in first. A win, though, would leave the Guardians on the edge of an October berth, depending on what happens with the Rangers and Astros.
In Other News...
Red Sox Weekend Suddenly Comes With A Schedule Concern Fans Need To Watch
The final regular-season series between the Red Sox and Cubs is now drawing as much attention from the sky as from the standings, with rain in the forecast for each day of the set in Boston. Major League Baseball and both clubs are monitoring the situation closely, but for now there are no plans to move the games out of Fenway, leaving the weekend's shape dependent on what the weather decides to do.
For a Red Sox team wrapping up its home schedule, the possibility of delays or other adjustments adds another layer to a series that already carries late-season weight. Boston and Chicago remain in communication with the league about potential changes, and while the games are still on the calendar, the next update may come from the forecast as much as from the clubhouse. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Turnaround Just Sparked A Grade Debate Fans Will Hate
The Red Soxs 2026 season had enough twists to fill more than one October preview, with injuries piling up and a managerial change threatening to send the year off the rails. Instead, Boston steadied itself, found a way back into the picture and ultimately punched its ticket to the playoffs, a turnaround that looked like one of the better recoveries in the league.
So it was bound to raise a few eyebrows when ESPNs David Schoenfield handed the club a B grade, a mark that leaves the impression Bostons rally did not quite earn top-tier credit. The evaluation was tied to how the Red Sox stacked up against preseason expectations and the rest of Major League Baseball, but for a team that battled through so much and still reached the postseason, the debate over whether that grade undersells the season figures to linger. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Face Immediate Outfield Decisions As Key Bat Nears Return
Ceddanne Rafaela is on track to give the Red Sox a major boost in the middle of a stretch where every lineup decision feels a little heavier. Manager Chad Tracy said the center fielder is expected to be activated off the Injured List on Wednesday, bringing him back after nearly a month away with a right quadriceps strain. Rafaela had been a difference-maker before the injury, helping Boston in center field and providing plenty of value at the plate.
His return also pushes Boston into some immediate outfield planning at a time when the club is trying to sharpen its roster for the postseason chase. A healthy Rafaela changes the look of the defense and gives the lineup another impact bat to work with, but it also means the Red Sox have to sort out how best to fit everyone once he is back on the active roster. [Read more 🡒]