The Red Sox continue to prepare for the inevitable when the regular season comes to an end: a return to Yankee Stadium in the Wild Card series for the second consecutive season.
The Yankees have pulled further ahead for the top Wild Card spot in recent days, fueled by a series against the lowly Colorado Rockies. That all but seals the deal that the Red Sox won’t host the first round at Fenway Park. In the meantime, Boston’s magic number for a playoff berth is into single digits.
Should the team take
care of business, the Red Sox will clinch playoff berths in consecutive seasons for the first time since three straight trips from 2016 to 2018. Boston’s path to October in 2025 and 2026 came on drastically different paths, though the records could be the same or very similar.
The 2025 team slugged their way through the season, even after the rattling trade of Rafael Devers, though the lineup lost its thump late in the season with the injury loss of Roman Anthony and several platoon players holding onto playoff lineup spots. Garrett Crochet dominated as the Cy Young runner up, though the depth behind him ran out by the first round.
The Red Sox revamped their starting rotation for 2026, though the season appeared to fall apart with an insufficient offensive unit for the early months. Alex Cora got fired, Crochet and Anthony went down for months with injuries and a late-June series loss appeared to signal rock bottom. With 15 games to go this season, it’s hard to imagine that stretch being a part of the same season given the magic the Red Sox rode back into contention this summer.
So, with the context of two seasons and a strong idea of what the playoff roster should look like, are the Red Sox better positioned for a playoff run in 2026 than they were in 2025?
I believe so.
Behind Crochet, the Red Sox did not have enough proven performers ready to meet the moment in October. Brayan Bello struggled, Lucas Giolito was unavailable and Connelly Early got forced into a position contenders should not have to commit to. The lineup solely relied on Trevor Story to drive in runs while Alex Bregman ran out of gas after Game 1.
This year, the Red Sox should feel confident in all three starters they would trot out in the Wild Card series in Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez (1.48 career postseason ERA) and Payton Tolle. The lineup also has far healthier and capable impact bats with Anthony, Adley Rutschman, Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu ready to deliver when the game is on the line. Just as they were last year, Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock are weapons at the back end of the bullpen while Crochet and potentially even Tanner Houck could be ready to get outs in relief as well.
The Yankees should also feel better about their spot compared to a year ago, even with Giancarlo Stanton down for the year. Aaron Judge is back, young bats have emerged and the trio of first-round ready starters in Cam Schlittler, Max Fried and Gerritt Cole is a lethal combination, along with a bullpen that’s gelled over time.
Both rosters are better than a year ago. Another tilt in The Bronx will put the rivals back in the spotlight with the pressure on in the likelihood of another entertaining clash.
