Breaking Down Red Sox’s Final Opponents Of Regular Season

The Boston Red Sox are approaching the finish line with plenty at stake.

Boston closes the regular season with a trio of three-game sets against American League opposition. Alex Cora’s squad will look to protect a 1.5-game advantage over the Cleveland Guardians for the AL’s final wild-card spot.

With the schedule wrapping up, let’s take a look at the Red Sox’s remaining opponents.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays tried making a late push with a seven-game winning streak, but they’re now attempting to salvage a .500 season after dropping nine of their last 13.

The division rivals haven’t met since Boston swept Tampa Bay in a four-game series before the All-Star break. Boston took two of three in their other first-half encounters, but the Red Sox won five games by exactly one run.

Boston may have caught Tampa Bay at the right time, as Junior Caminero is day-to-day after missing Thursday’s game with back tightness. The All-Star third baseman has powered the offense with 44 home runs.

Friday’s starter, Drew Rasmussen, has worked five innings in each of his three September starts despite not exceeding 82 pitches. The Rays are carefully monitoring the 30-year-old’s workload in his return from Tommy John surgery.

Sunday’s starter, Ryan Pepiot, had allowed two combined hits over three scoreless outings before getting pushed back due to body fatigue. The right-hander returned to permit four hits, three walks and four runs in 1 2/3 innings on Tuesday and has already pitched a career-high 164 2/3 frames in 2025.

Toronto Blue Jays

Down six games with nine remaining, the American League East is likely out of reach for the Red Sox. But perhaps they could stay alive by sweeping the Blue Jays next week.

The Blue Jays can complete a jump from last to first and capture their first division title in a decade. Bounce-back campaigns from George Springer and Bo Bichette (out for the rest of the regular season with a knee injury) have fueled a lineup sporting MLB’s third-best OPS behind the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. They’re also fourth in Defensive Runs Saved behind Gold Glove center fielder Myles Straw and Platinum Glove second baseman Andrés Giménez.

Boston is currently slated to face a red-hot Kevin Gausman, who sports a 3.38 ERA and 1.01 WHIP after allowing three runs in his last four starts. The 34-year-old ace threw a complete-game shutout on Sept. 11 and allowed one unearned run with 10 strikeouts in eight innings against Boston on April 9.

Detroit Tigers

The Tigers face a similar predicament to the Red Sox, as September stumbles have them fending off the Guardians for the AL Central crown. They can extinguish that issue and clinch the division during a three-game series with Cleveland before closing the 2025 campaign against Boston.

There’s a solid chance the Tigers travel to Boston as AL Central champions next Friday. That would likely ensure the Red Sox avoid reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, but a first-round bye could remain in play.

The Tigers caught fire to make an unlikely playoff appearance last year. Their 2025 has seemingly gone in reverse, as they’re 26-30 in the second half with a .711 OPS and 4.30 staff ERA.

Detroit and Boston will both hope to have a playoff ticket in hand before the regular season’s final weekend.