Ceddanne Rafaela's Walk-Off Triple Sends Red Sox to Playoffs

Rafaela's ninth inning triple off the center field wall completed the comeback for Boston, who is heading to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Ceddanne Rafaela punched Boston's ticket to the postseason for the first time since 2021. | Brian Fluharty, Getty Images

The Boston Red Sox are heading to the postseason.

After trailing 3-1 heading into the seventh inning in the first contest of the regular season's final three-game set at Fenway Park against the Tigers, Boston scored a run in the seventh, eighth, and finally in the bottom of the ninth, when centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela drove a Tommy Kahnle fastball off the top of the centerfield wall, scoring Romy Gonzalez from first base and sending the Red Sox to the playoffs.

RED SOX CLINCH A POSTSEASON SPOT WITH A #WALKOFF pic.twitter.com/R42wOrwNt8

— MLB (@MLB) September 27, 2025

Boston's magic number has been one since Wednesday, when the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays and the Astros lost to the Athletics. But it took until Friday for Boston to officially punch its ticket to the postseason after the Red Sox lost to the Blue Jays on Thursday and the Astros beat the A's.

The Tigers, Astros and Guardians are now battling for the final two playoff spots in the American League playoff picture with two games to go.

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