The Boston Red Sox clinched the American League East for the third consecutive season Thursday night with a win over the New York Yankees. Now, it’s time to start planning for the AL Division Series.
We don’t know yet who the Red Sox will play in the ALDS, but they’ll have home-field advantage in the matchup. They’ll likely have home-field advantage throughout the postseason, in fact, as they currently hold the best record in Major League Baseball by a wide margin.
If the Red Sox secure the AL’s top seed, they’ll play the winner of the AL Wild Card Game, scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 3. In all likelihood, that means either the Yankees or Oakland Athletics — the two teams currently positioned atop the AL wild card standings.
Regardless, MLB released its postseason schedule in August. We’ll have to wait on Boston’s opponent and the exact start times for each game, but we now know the dates on which the Red Sox will play and when they’ll play at Fenway Park — based on them since clinching the division and home-field advantage in the ALDS.
So, here’s a look at the Red Sox’s ALDS schedule:
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 5, at Fenway Park
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 6, at Fenway Park
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 8, away
Game 4: Tuesday Oct. 9, away (if necessary)
Game 5: Thursday Oct. 11, at Fenway Park (if necessary)