Red Sox Have Eyes On Postseason Despite Loss To Blue Jays

The Boston Red Sox have had a hard time completing sweeps. In September alone, they’ve won the first two games of a series, but failed to win the final game four times.

Consistently winning series is generally a formula to get to the playoffs, but the Red Sox have yet to clinch. With the Houston Astros’ win over the Athletics and Boston’s 6-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Red Sox’s magic number remains at one.

Sweeping a team is hard, especially a playoff team. The Blue Jays haven’t played well of late, but they lead they’ve led the American League East for most of the summer.

“It’s not easy,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “That’s one of the best teams in the big leagues. We did an outstanding job the whole week except for one inning, so you tip your hat to them.”

The Red Sox control their own destiny. With three games remaining against the Detroit Tigers, they could clinch a playoff spot as soon as Friday when they return to Fenway Park.

“We know what we have to do at home, so be ready for tomorrow,” Cora said.

The Tigers haven’t played good baseball recently. They beat the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday, but were 1-9 in their previous 10 games. If Detroit drops just one game, they’ll be locked in a fight with either the Guardians for the American League Central or the Astros for the final wild card spot.