Leave it to the Boston Red Sox to go from worst to first again.
After a close division race throughout the 2016 season, the Red Sox clinched the American League East by virtue of the Baltimore Orioles’ 3-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night. Boston will play in one of the two AL Division Series beginning Oct. 6.
The Red Sox’s AL East crown comes after back-to-back last-place finishes in 2014 and 2015. The Red Sox pulled this off once before, though, winning the 2013 World Series one season after they finished a division-worst 69-93 in 2012.
The Red Sox have a chance to finish with the AL’s best record, too, although the Yankees put a dent in those hopes Wednesday night when Mark Teixeira hit a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat Boston 5-3.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
