The Boston Red Sox face a challenging path to October baseball in 2024. After a thrilling walk-off victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on Wednesday night, there is a path forward. Red Sox outfielder Tyler O’Neill hit a three-run homer in the tenth inning to steal the victory from the Orioles.
The Sox won their second consecutive series against the Orioles. The two teams ahead of them in the American League Wild Card rankings also won on Wednesday, and Boston’s clubhouse is beginning to reflect reality. The Red Sox can win all they want, but it won’t matter if the teams ahead of them do the same.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora admitted there is a chance Boston may slip in, but the window is closing.
“It is still there. “It’s getting harder and harder, but it’s realistic,” Cora told The Athletic. “We just won a series against one of the best teams in the majors.” However, in our particular case, it is clearly insufficient. We have to continue. We won two series at home. Some folks find it uncomfortable. But it works for us.”
The Red Sox can still celebrate winning a series against a good team. A good end to the season combined with missing the playoffs will have them wondering “What if?” That’s a difficult situation to be in at the end of a lengthy season.
The Red Sox hope to make a miraculous playoff run.
Boston Red Sox left fielder Tyler O’Neill (17) hit a three-run home run to beat the Baltimore Orioles in 10 innings at Fenway Park.
David Butler II-Images
At this stage, every game matters for a club like the Red Sox. Boston is four games away of a postseason berth with 16 games left. Their postseason dreams could be crushed this weekend if they lose a four-game series against the New York Yankees.
It is the final meeting between the two AL East rivals in 2024. The Red Sox lead the season series, having won five of nine games. It’s a big series for both teams, with the Yankees vying for the division title and the top spot in the American League. Boston did New York a favor by beating Baltimore earlier this week. The Yankees now lead the division by 1½ games.
The Red Sox are tied with the Seattle Mariners, while the Detroit Tigers are one game ahead. The Minnesota Twins hold the final Wild Card spot. Needless to say, Boston will want assistance in addition to winning in order to secure a postseason spot.
Regardless of whether the Red Sox make a surprise October showing, playing meaningful games in September is critical for their young team. Boston is developing a nucleus of under-30s who have the potential to transform the Sox into AL contenders in the coming years.
Making some noise to end the 2024 MLB season would be ideal for the Red Sox. Even if the overall campaign was disappointing, a strong finish can lead to success in 2025. Red Sox fans should have something to look forward to.
