2026 Red Sox/MLB Season Thread

[Vermont Green]

Can finally remove the "interim" tag.

Red Sox
@RedSox
?
44m
The #RedSox today announced that they have exercised the club?s 2029 and 2030 contract options on Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow and named Chad Tracy the team?s 49th manager in club history, agreeing to a three-year contract that will run through the 2029 season with a club option in 2030.

Interesting timing on Chad Tracy.  Why with 6 games left in the season?  Why wait all this time, why not just wait until the end of the season at this point?  Makes it seem like they were waiting for them to clinch the playoffs, which if it is the case, seems silly.

The only thing I can think of is that maybe Tracy didn't want to have the conversation while focusing on making the playoffs? But at the same time didn't want to wait until after the playoffs in case things went poorly? That still seems weird

That actually makes sense.  Don't risk jinxing it until the magic number is officially zero, and then get it out of the way before the playoffs so they can't talk incessantly about why he is still just the interim manager.  I expect they had private conversations along the way, so not so much that they didn't want to have the private conversations, they are trying to minimize the potential impact on the team.  In a week, when the playoffs start, this will be old news I guess, which is good.

[Goldstar88]

Apparently Crochett was throwing to live batters today including Rafaela and Curtis Mead. If they can get those guys back for the playoffs that would be huge.

[Donoghus]

Good news is that both teams should get a little time off before their respective wild card series if things hold.

Taylor McGregor
@Taylor_McGregor
Due to the forecast in Boston this weekend, the Sunday, September 27th Chicago Cubs @ Boston Red Sox game has been rescheduled as part of split doubleheader on Friday, September 25th. 

The game times for the split doubleheader are as follows:

?Game 1 - 1:05pm ET (rescheduled game from Sunday, September 27th at 3:10pm ET)
?Game 2 - 6:05pm ET (game time was moved to 6:05pm from 7:10pm)

Saturday?s game is on as scheduled.

[Vermont Green]

Crazy thought (I know, many of you probably think many of my thoughts are crazy), are the Sox better off to just lose all the remaining games and hope that CWS and CLE keep winning.  The 2nd wild card goes to NYY and then Tampa. The 3rd wildcard goes to TEX or HOU, and then CLE.  CLE and CWS are going to continue to try and win.  (As will the Cubs)

[Roy H.]

Crazy thought (I know, many of you probably think many of my thoughts are crazy), are the Sox better off to just lose all the remaining games and hope that CWS and CLE keep winning.  The 2nd wild card goes to NYY and then Tampa. The 3rd wildcard goes to TEX or HOU, and then CLE.  CLE and CWS are going to continue to try and win.  (As will the Cubs)

Yes, but I don't think that is achievable with the number of games left.

[Goldstar88]

Crazy thought (I know, many of you probably think many of my thoughts are crazy), are the Sox better off to just lose all the remaining games and hope that CWS and CLE keep winning.  The 2nd wild card goes to NYY and then Tampa. The 3rd wildcard goes to TEX or HOU, and then CLE.  CLE and CWS are going to continue to try and win.  (As will the Cubs)

Yes, but I don't think that is achievable with the number of games left.

The Yankees are .500 over their last 10 games. Judge won?t be available for the wildcard series. Also, I don?t think coaches think like that. Imagine Tracy telling his players that they are going to tank the remaining games so that they can avoid the Yankees? That is a great way to lose the locker room.

[Redz]

It?s been a very weird period since they got pummeled in NY.  The 4-6 spots have been fairly well cemented.  The Sox did go on a 5 game streak that pretty much clinched the 5th spot. 

But yeh, the 6th seed will face a team with a .500 or potentially worse record.  While the Sox go to the Bronx.

[slamtheking]

It?s been a very weird period since they got pummeled in NY.  The 4-6 spots have been fairly well cemented.  The Sox did go on a 5 game streak that pretty much clinched the 5th spot. 

But yeh, the 6th seed will face a team with a .500 or potentially worse record.  While the Sox go to the Bronx.

take solace in knowing the Sox won't have to face the Dodgers before the WS if the Sox get that far whereas my Brewers are likely going to have to be the team to finally put them down if they can

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

MLB needs to institute reseeding for the postseason. No way that any of BOS/NY/TB should have to face the other two before even reaching the ALCS.

And no way that any of CLE/HOU/CWS/TEX should be able to reach the ALCS without facing at least one of the three AL East teams.

[Donoghus]

Apparently flights charted tonight to Tampa.  Third game of series to be played Sunday to prevent a competitive advantage by teams having an extra day off before start of wild card round.

MLB botched this series so bad.

[Ilikesports17]

MLB needs to institute reseeding for the postseason. No way that any of BOS/NY/TB should have to face the other two before even reaching the ALCS.

And no way that any of CLE/HOU/CWS/TEX should be able to reach the ALCS without facing at least one of the three AL East teams.

Totally get the logic here, but I'm anti reseeding. Divisions should really matter I do not want to go the way of basketball where no one cares!

[BitterJim]

MLB needs to institute reseeding for the postseason. No way that any of BOS/NY/TB should have to face the other two before even reaching the ALCS.

And no way that any of CLE/HOU/CWS/TEX should be able to reach the ALCS without facing at least one of the three AL East teams.

Totally get the logic here, but I'm anti reseeding. Divisions should really matter I do not want to go the way of basketball where no one cares!

Winning the division should matter in the sense that it gets you a playoff spot, but not in the sense that it gets you a top 3 seed. Divisions should metter, but they shouldn'toverridenrecord for seeding

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

MLB needs to institute reseeding for the postseason. No way that any of BOS/NY/TB should have to face the other two before even reaching the ALCS.

And no way that any of CLE/HOU/CWS/TEX should be able to reach the ALCS without facing at least one of the three AL East teams.

Totally get the logic here, but I'm anti reseeding. Divisions should really matter I do not want to go the way of basketball where no one cares!

Winning the division should matter in the sense that it gets you a playoff spot, but not in the sense that it gets you a top 3 seed. Divisions should metter, but they shouldn'toverridenrecord for seeding

Yes. Whichever mediocre team wins the wretched AL West this year shouldn't be a top-3 seed. It's an insult to the teams that did better in a stronger division.

[Vermont Green]

MLB needs to institute reseeding for the postseason. No way that any of BOS/NY/TB should have to face the other two before even reaching the ALCS.

And no way that any of CLE/HOU/CWS/TEX should be able to reach the ALCS without facing at least one of the three AL East teams.

Totally get the logic here, but I'm anti reseeding. Divisions should really matter I do not want to go the way of basketball where no one cares!

Winning the division should matter in the sense that it gets you a playoff spot, but not in the sense that it gets you a top 3 seed. Divisions should metter, but they shouldn'toverridenrecord for seeding

I am at the point where I feel that divisions don't really matter in any sports anymore.  It just doesn't seem that they do matter anymore.  Is it rivalries?  Would the BOS NYY rivalry be any different if they seeded more based on record?

[Donoghus]

In this weird predicament where I'm rooting against the Red Sox right now. I have Cubs playoff tickets for games 2 & 3 of the wild card round next week at Wrigley. Cubs need to win these two and have the Padres lose at least 2 of 3 for any chance of these games happening at Wrigley. I'm a Red Sox fan first and Cubs second.  So it's pretty awkward.

Don't feel good about my chances.