Where Red Sox Stand In AL East, Wild Card Races After Final Series Vs. Yankees

If the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees meet again, it’s going to be in October.

The Red Sox on Sunday beat the Yankees 6-4 at Fenway Park to fend off a sweep. Boston largely has dominated New York this season, but the Yankees took the first two games of the weekend set to buck the trend.

Monday will be an off day for the Sox, who will then play three games against the A’s at home and three on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays this week.

Here’s where things stand for the Red Sox in their pursuit of the American League East crown.

Toronto (87-62)
New York (83-66, 4.0 GB)
Boston (82-68, 5.5 GB)

Barring a surprise, the Blue Jays are probably clear in the division race. But a bad week this week for Toronto against the Rays and the Kansas City Royals could make next week’s Red Sox-Blue Jays series a particularly compelling one.

The wild card has long been the more likely path in; here’s where that stands.

New York (83-66, +2.5 GB)
Boston (82-68, +1 GB)
Houston (81-69)
—
Texas (79-71, 2.0 GB)
Cleveland (78-71, 2.5 GB)

The Rangers and Guardians continue to hang around, but they finish the season against each other, and Texas has three games with the Astros this week. Much is due to change.

Though the Red Sox have a softer schedule this week, things will get much harder next week when they wrap up the regular season with three games apiece against the Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers.