The Boston Red Sox have just three games left in the regular season.

If the Red Sox can earn one more win this weekend, they will clinch a playoff spot. Boston has an 87-72 record on the season so far and the No. 2 American League Wild Card spot. Boston will clinch a playoff spot with a win, or with a loss by the Houston Astros.

On top of the potential of landing its first playoff spot since 2021, Boston can also play spoiler a bit this weekend. The Red Sox have a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers at home at Fenway Park. Detroit was the top team in the American League Central for months but he Cleveland Guardians’ red-hot end to the season has put them ahead of the Tigers. The Guardians and Tigers have an 86-73 record, but Cleveland has the tiebreaker.

Sep 25, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) makes a throwing error to first base on a ball hit by Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (not pictured) during the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

If Boston can take down the Tigers this weekend, they can take away Detroit’s chances at the No. 1 spot in the American League Central, and in doing so avoid a first-round playoff matchup against one of the hottest teams overall in baseball. If the season were to end today, the Red Sox would be the No. 5 seed and face off against the No. 4 seed New York Yankees in the first round of the playoffs. The Tigers and Guardians would face off on the other side of the American League bracket. The Astros would be on the outside looking in. But, the Tigers have just a one-game lead over Houston in the standings.

Depending on how the Red Sox do against Detroit this weekend, they end the Tigers’ chances of winning the AL Central and if Boston could win the series or maybe even sweep, who knows, maybe they could even know the Tigers out of the playoffs entirely and open the door for the Astros to sneak in.

It’s going to be a big weekend in Boston, that’s for sure at the very least.

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