The Red Sox are trailing the Minnesota Twins by four games for the final American League wild card spot. Manager Alex Cora admitted last month that he frequently checks the standings and scoreboard to monitor the progress of teams ahead of Boston. On Monday night, as the Red Sox began a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles, Cora expressed frustration over the team’s inability to close the gap, especially as the Twins and other teams struggle.
“It’s one less day on the calendar, right?” Cora said. “You can look at it positively— we’re still in it, and the Twins are coming here next week. But every day counts, and there are more teams involved.”
The Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners are 3.5 games back from the final wild card spot, with the Orioles and Kansas City Royals currently ahead of the Twins in the race. Since the All-Star break, the Red Sox have a record of 18-28 in their last 46 games.
“We haven’t played well since the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in July,” Cora noted. “And we’re paying the price for it now.”
The Twins, who were swept by the Royals over the weekend, start a six-game homestand on Monday night against the Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati Reds. Minnesota is 39-30 at home and could put additional pressure on Boston with a series win over the struggling 59-84 Angels.
With 19 games remaining in the regular season, 16 of which are against American League East teams, the Red Sox face a challenging road ahead. Three of their remaining six series are against teams currently holding winning records and playoff spots. To stay in the playoff hunt, Boston must secure a series win against the Orioles. The Red Sox are 33-39 at Fenway Park this season and 3-7 against the Orioles.
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