The Red Sox have spent the 2026 season taking a winding road, but the conversation around them is getting more interesting as October approaches. If Boston gets into the postseason, the case for a real run is built on one thing above all else: pitching.
That’s the view from at least one NL executive, who told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers that Boston is “best positioned” to win the AL among the Wild Card teams. The logic is simple enough. The Red Sox can line up a lot of arms in a playoff series, and when games tighten late, they can turn to Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman.
“I like the amount of arms the Red Sox can put out there in a playoff series," an NL executive said. "And then once you get to the back of a game, they're lights out with [Garrett] Whitlock and Chapman.
I think they're best positioned to win from the wild-card teams. They'll keep the Yankees in the park when they play in the first round."
Boston’s offense has also started to look less shaky than it did earlier in the year. Roman Anthony’s return has helped, Adley Rutschman’s trade changed the mix, and Mickey Gasper has given the club an unexpected boost.
Still, the rotation is what makes this team feel dangerous. Sonny Gray has posted a 2.76 ERA this season, Ranger Suarez brings a reputation as one of the best postseason pitchers in MLB history, Payton Tolle has emerged as a breakout arm, and Jake Bennett has had his moments as well. Patrick Sandoval is the fifth starter and won’t be needed in October.
The bullpen gives Boston another layer. Whitlock and Chapman form a strong late-game pairing, and Erik Miller, Bryan Bello, and several other options give the Red Sox plenty of ways to attack a game once the starters hand it off.
That’s why the wild-card path suddenly looks so appealing for Boston: elite starting pitching, a deep bullpen, and enough arms to make life miserable for opponents when the games get tight.
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Red Sox Turnaround Is Suddenly Unlike Anything MLB Has Seen
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The turnaround became historic from there. The Red Sox finished 82-68, becoming the first MLB team to end up above .500 after losing 46 of their first 78 games, and the surge was fueled by a mix of veteran production from Willson Contreras, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu, plus useful contributions from Caleb Durbin and a wave of minor league call-ups. Boston also added Adley Rutschman from Baltimore before the trade deadline, a move that only added to the sense that this was a roster constantly evolving while still somehow finding its footing. [Read more 🡒]