The Red Sox are down to their last four series before the postseason, and the path to getting there gets tricky fast. Boston still has work to do to lock up a playoff berth, and the closing stretch doesn’t offer any breathing room. Every opponent on the schedule either has October in sight or is still fighting to get there.
That starts with Texas.
The Rangers enter the Sept. 15 series opener half a game behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the American League’s third Wild Card spot, so Boston is about to run into a club that badly needs these games. The Red Sox will be trying to keep their own push moving, but Texas has plenty of incentive to come out swinging too.
If Boston is looking for an edge, Wilyer Abreu might be the difference.
Against the Rangers, Abreu has been ridiculous. In 17 career games versus Texas, he’s hitting .436/.484/1.018 with five doubles, nine home runs and 22 RBI. That’s not just a hot streak - that’s the kind of production that can tilt a series all by itself.
His damage against Texas started in August 2024, during his rookie season, when he launched three homers in one series, including a two-homer game. He kept it going in 2025, turning in two more two-homer performances against the Rangers, once on Opening Day and again on May 7.
And it gets even better for Boston because Abreu has been especially dangerous at Globe Life Field, where the Red Sox will play from Sept. 15-17 in the season series finale. In eight appearances in Arlington, he has a stunning 2.035 OPS. If there’s a place for him to swing the balance of this matchup, that’s it.
The pitching Boston could see only raises the difficulty level. A series-opening date with Jacob deGrom is possible; he carries a 3.80 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP and 186 strikeouts in 149.1 innings pitched.
The Red Sox are also scheduled to face former Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore and possibly Nathan Eovaldi, though the full schedule has not been confirmed. Gore and Eovaldi haven’t matched their past seasons statistically, but Eovaldi remains a problem every time he takes the mound.
Abreu’s track record against Texas still doesn’t quite reach Rafael Devers against the Yankees and Gerrit Cole, but he’s getting closer every time the Red Sox see the Rangers. If Boston is going to keep rolling through this final stretch, another one of those Globe Life Field explosions from Abreu might arrive at exactly the right moment.
In Other News...
Red Sox Manager Shakeup Just Put A Rising Name In Focus
The early-season shuffle in Boston has put a familiar organizational name into sharper focus. With Alex Cora replaced by Chad Tracy, the Red Sox are again staring at the kind of managerial uncertainty that tends to send the spotlight beyond Fenway and into the farm system, where the next wave of leadership often starts taking shape long before it reaches the big leagues.
One of the quieter names worth watching is Liam Carroll, who has been guiding the Greenville Drive since 2025 after previously managing Salem at Single-A. Carroll has earned a strong reputation inside the organization for player development and leadership, picked up work with Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic, and has already built up more than 200 minor league wins, the sort of rsum that tends to travel well when a major league club starts rethinking its future. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Infield Need Could Lead To A Fascinating Winter Target
The Red Sox are already being linked to a familiar winter fix, with second and third base standing out as places where an upgrade could make sense. Boston has spent enough time patching the infield to know how quickly the roster can look sturdier when one spot is settled, and Jeff Passans report on Teruaki Sato adds an international wrinkle to that search.
Sato, a 27-year-old third baseman with the Hanshin Tigers, is expected to be posted and could emerge as a real name for the Red Sox to watch. His offensive record in Nippon Professional Baseball, including 35 home runs and a strong OPS, is the kind of production that naturally gets attention, especially for a club weighing whether to shop more aggressively for help on the left side of the infield. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Are Already Feeling Better About The Marcelo Mayer Trade
The Red Soxs decision to move Marcelo Mayer to San Francisco was always going to spark a second-guessing cycle, but the early returns have made the deal easier to live with in Boston. Mayer has battled injuries throughout his career and still has not appeared for the Giants this season, while the Red Sox have already addressed a clear need by bringing in reliever Erik Miller and adding minor league outfielder Carlos Gutierrez.
For a club trying to steady its roster, the bullpen help matters, and Boston also has more than one way to cover the infield without leaning on Mayer. Trevor Story remains a key option there, and prospect Franklin Arias gives the organization another name to keep in mind. The trade may still be judged over the long haul, but for now the Red Sox can at least point to immediate help and a path that did not leave them short-handed. [Read more 🡒]