The Boston Red Sox had six games left to play entering Tuesday, and it felt like the first could be the most important of them all.

Boston was facing the Toronto Blue Jays’ hottest starting pitcher in Kevin Gausman on Tuesday night at Rogers Centre. If the Red Sox could pull out a win, they’d probably need just two more this week to clinch a playoff berth, but if they lost, it was more likely they’d need three.

Though it was never easy, the Red Sox grinded out a 4-1 win with a gritty start from Lucas Giolito, three huge runs in the top of the sixth inning, and a lockdown bullpen performance. Now 86-71, Boston has a magic number of three to clinch a playoff spot entering play on Wednesday.

Sep 23, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox first baseman Nathaniel Lowe (37) and relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) celebrate a win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Red Sox are all set up now. They’ve got ace Garrett Crochet pitching against the struggling Max Scherzer on Wednesday, and with the Houston Astros (84-73) struggling, that magic number could be down to one by the end of the night.

Manager Alex Cora knows his team still has more work to do, but he wasn’t going to undersell how momentous picking up that win on Tuesday was.

“Big one today,” Cora said, per Christopher Smith of MassLive. “Big one. The road trip so far has been a positive one. We’ve got the big boy (Garrett Crochet) tomorrow on the mound, and we got (Brayan) Bello the last day. See how it goes.

“But just keep putting up good at-bats. I think offensively, we kind of found a stroke, a rhythm in Tampa, and today was another good day.”

Though the Red Sox only scored four, they pounded out nine hits, including two from first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who had been struggling, and two from much-maligned designated hitter Masataka Yoshida, who has quietly dominated the Blue Jays in his career.

Winners of three of their last four, the Red Sox simply have to stay locked in for a few more games. Then, if they can lock up their playoff spot, they’ll have Crochet ready to go on five days’ rest for Tuesday’s American League Wild Card Series opener.

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