BOSTON -- Even after being swept by the Yankees over three crushing days at Fenway Park, the Red Sox enter the final week of the season with reasons to be optimistic. Boston -- which now holds a one-game lead over the Blue Jays for the second American League wild-card spot -- still controls its own destiny.
After a day off Monday, the Sox will begin their season-ending road trip with a three-game series against the Orioles, who they thumped in a three-game sweep just last weekend. They’ll then head about 40 miles south to finish things off against another lowly opponent in the Nationals starting Thursday.
Both Beltway teams are in last place. They have combined for a 114-198 (.365) record in 2021. To say the schedule makers gave the Red Sox an end-of-season gift would be an understatement.
Also working in Boston’s favor is the fact that their main competitors in the wild-card race are all playing each other. Beginning Monday, the Mariners (2 games behind Boston) will host the Athletics (3 games back) in a loser-goes-home three-game set. More notably, the Yankees and Blue Jays will face off in a three-game series in Toronto starting Tuesday. Any win the Sox snag in Baltimore would come with the added benefit of picking up a game on either Toronto or New York.
“We know that the Jays and Yankees are playing against each other, so for how big this weekend was, I think Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, they’re probably bigger,” said manager Alex Cora. “We know somebody’s going to lose in the next three games. You can gain ground. You’ve just got to make sure you’re locked in Tuesday and start playing good baseball.”
Where the Red Sox currently sit, mixed with how the schedule shakes out over the final week, paints a very rosy picture despite the fact the club was outscored 19-9 by the Yankees this weekend. ESPN says Boston has an 87.5% chance to make the postseason. FiveThirtyEight says the number is 78% while also giving the Sox a 64% or better chance to win each game at Camden Yards.
“Ultimately, even though this was a disappointing weekend, we still have it in our hands moving forward,” said reliever Adam Ottavino. “If the season ended today, we’d be in. All we have to do is take care of our job against Baltimore and Washington and see where that leaves us.”
The Red Sox -- by the skin of their collective teeth -- also hold tiebreakers over both New York and Toronto. Boston went 10-9 against each opponent, and the season series is the tiebreaker for home-field advantage in the wild-card race. If the Sox tie either team for the first wild-card spot, the wild-card game would be held at Fenway Park. A tie for the second spot would necessitate a one-game playoff next Monday.
“We would love to play here, if we make it, that wild-card game, but there’s a lot of guys who have been very successful over there (at Yankee Stadium), too,” Cora said. “The same way (the Yankees) came here and played good baseball, we can do the same over there.”
There are signs pointing against the Sox’ chances, too, such as the fact they are 8-21 against winning teams since the July 30 trade deadline and that they lost their final six matchups (and 3 of the last 12) against the Yankees. But Boston’s seven-game winning streak from Sept. 14-22 gave the club some breathing room that is proving vital after a rough weekend that included back-to-back heartbreaking, dramatic losses Saturday and Sunday.
“It’s not what we wanted coming into the series — we wanted to win the series and keep that first wild-card,” Cora said. “It didn’t happen but we’re still in position to make the playoffs. That’s not the worst-case scenario.”
Related links:
"control" - Google News
September 27, 2021 at 03:02PM
https://ift.tt/3CLJKJR
Boston Red Sox still control own destiny in postseason race despite being swept by Yankees; ESPN gives club 8 - MassLive.com
"control" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3bY2j0m
https://ift.tt/2KQD83I
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Boston Red Sox still control own destiny in postseason race despite being swept by Yankees; ESPN gives club 8 - MassLive.com"
Post a Comment