As recently as Sept. 2, the Red Sox’s playoff odds according to Fangraphs stood as high as 98.2%.
today they have fallen to 86.7%, but what once looked like a foregone conclusion is beginning to look like an uncomfortable race to the finish.
The Red Sox enter Wednesday’s game just 2.5 games up on the Cleveland Guardians for the final American League Wild Card spot with 11 games to play. The Guardians have won five straight and are 9-1 in their last 10 games to vault themselves back into the playoff conversation, while the Red Sox have lost four of five and are 4-6 over their last 10.
A big part of the problem? The Red Sox have averaged three runs per game over their last five, including two losses where the club could only manage one run.
Needing to get back on track, the Red Sox will hand the ball to Lucas Giolito (10-4, 3.31) on Wednesday against the A’s. He’ll face off against A’s right-hander Mason Barnett (1-1, 8.53), a rookie who has three career MLB starts and who allowed four earned runs over 3.2 innings to the Red Sox last time out.
The Red Sox will move Trevor Story into the second spot to help give the lineup a spark. Jarren Duran is back in the leadoff role after batting eighth against a lefty on Tuesday, and Masataka Yoshida will bat cleanup.
Red Sox lineup
Jarren Duran LF
Trevor Story SS
Alex Bregman 3B
Masataka Yoshida DH
Romy Gonzalez 2B
Rob Refsnyder RF
Nathaniel Lowe 1B
Carlos Narvaez C
Ceddanne Rafaela CF
Lucas Giolito P
How to movie
When: 6:45 p.m.
Where: Fenway Park, Boston
Broadcast info: NESN, WEEI 93.7 FM, WCCM 1490 AM (Spanish), WESX 1230 AM (Spanish)
Originally Published:
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