Boston’s playoff aspirations are facing a serious challenge. The Red Sox stumbled on Thursday, dropping a 5-3 decision to the Oakland Athletics. This loss, a disappointing outcome against a team not vying for a postseason spot, allowed the Cleveland Guardians to close the gap to just one game in the American League wild card race.
While Boston still holds the third and final wild card berth in the American League, they’ve also fallen two games behind the New York Yankees in the race for home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. This recent skid has turned what was once a promising prospect to overtake the Yankees into a precarious situation.
“We control our own destiny,” stated Red Sox Manager Alex Cora. “We have to play better baseball.That’s it. Ther were signs today,but we are not there yet.”
The Red Sox have now lost five of their last seven games, a stretch that has significantly impacted their postseason outlook. Cora, however, drew a parallel to the 2021 season, his last playoff appearance, when the team also had to navigate a challenging end to the regular season.
When asked what he learned from that 2021 campaign, cora offered a seasoned viewpoint:
“Don’t get too emotional. Don’t depress yourself too much,” Cora said. “There are 162 (games) for a reason.”
boston’s upcoming schedule presents a tough road ahead. They are set to travel to Tampa Bay for a three-game series, followed by another three-game set in Toronto. The regular season concludes with a three-game homestand against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park.
Despite the mounting pressure, Cora insists there’s no panic within the Red Sox clubhouse. He even expressed a desire to shift the focus away from the postseason:
“I think we should stop talking about October, to be honest with you,” he said. “There are many things happening and we have to play better. I am not saying that we are in a bad position. But we have to wait to see if October is part of this.”
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