As three of the American League East's five teams battle it out for AL Wild Card spots -- with a fourth team, the Tampa Bay Rays, having already clinched the division -- Red Sox manager Alex Cora doesn't know how to feel about the ongoing series between the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays.
Thursday is a pretty big day in the hunt. It's when the Red Sox will close a series with the Baltimore Orioles while the Yankees will finish their series with the Blue Jays. As it stands before first pitch in either game, the Yankees lead the chase with a one-game lead over the Red Sox, while the Seattle Mariners are a half-game behind the Red Sox and the Blue Jays trail Boston by one.
So, is Cora going to be keeping a close eye on the out-of-town scoreboard at Camden Yards? Honestly, he's not sure.
"I have mixed emotions ... At the end, it starts with us, and we've got to do our job," Cora said before Thursday's game.
Instead, he's focused on the bigger picture, and what the coming days mean for the Red Sox organization as a whole.
"Not every year you have a chance to compete, have a chance to make it to the playoffs, to play meaningful games at the end of the season to make it to the playoffs. We thought in (2019) we were going to run away with the division and win back-to-back World Series.
"You appreciate everything that is going on," Cora added. "It's not easy. You see the puzzle scenarios. Let's take care of business and avoid the drama. It's been a fun ride, it's been a fun year."
The Red Sox will look to gain more ground in the standings against the Orioles on Thursday at 7:10 p.m., and you can watch it live on NESN.
