Red Sox prepare for crucial series against Rays amid playoff scenarios
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 18, 2026, 7:28 PM
Last updated Sep 18, 2026
The Boston Red Sox face a pivotal weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays, starting today. Currently, the Red Sox are positioned for the second wild card spot in the American League, but they trail the New York Yankees by 5.5 games. Boston has a 5-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the wild card race. With three series remaining in the regular season, the team's performance could significantly influence playoff positioning, though they're now eliminated from contention for the AL East title. Upcoming games against the Guardians could further determine playoff outcomes.
- •Red Sox enter series against Rays with playoff implications at stake.
- •Boston is 5.5 games behind Yankees for the first wild card.
- •Cleveland Guardians remain 5 games behind the Red Sox.
- •Red Sox eliminated from AL East title contention.
- •Next week's matchup against Guardians could impact playoff scenarios.
- 7:28 PMYahoo Sports — Breaking Down Red Sox Playoff Scenarios Entering Final Regular Season Stretch
"Here's where the Red Sox stand in the playoff picture entering this weekend's series vs. the Rays.
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