Patrick Sandoval Is Pitching for the Postseason, and Red Sox Nation Has to Hold Its Breath

The magic number to clinch a postseason spot is officially down to one, and it feels like the whole season comes down to this afternoon. After all the results around the league last night, a single win means our Red Sox are in a Wild Card spot. It really should be that simple, right?

Clinching Chaos: The AL East & Wild Card Scenarios

Here’s the deal: The Texas Rangers can still hit 85 wins, which would clinch them the American League West. If they sit at 84 wins, we hold the tiebreaker over them. The Houston Astros are a different story; they can get to 84 wins and they actually hold the tiebreaker over us. So if Boston somehow dropped its final seven games and Houston won all theirs, we’d be trailing. But let’s not even go there! The bottom line is one W gets us in.

Jarren Duran even busted out a triple during the ninth inning against the Rays just yesterday, September 19, showing that fighting spirit is alive and well at Tropicana Field. The team is right there, wrapping up this road trip with everything on the line.

High Stakes Pitching: Sandoval vs. Jax

So, who’s taking the mound to seal this deal? It’s Patrick Sandoval. And, honestly, he’s not exactly filling us with confidence. On the flip side, the Rays are throwing Griffin Jax, who’s got a 3.40 ERA since moving to the rotation. Jax has struggled against our boys in two starts this season, most recently giving up 7 earned runs in just five innings. That’s something to cling to!

With the Patriots playing today, not many eyes might be on this game. But trust me, Red Sox Nation will be glued to every single pitch.

What’s Next for Our Boys

We’re hoping for a celebration in Tampa tonight. First pitch is at 1:40 pm. If we don’t get it done today, the Red Sox will head back home to Fenway Park for the final homestand of the regular season starting Tuesday. Let’s get this done and make some noise!

This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.

Originally reported by Over the Monster.