Drought Over: How Red Sox Reacted To Clinching First Playoff Berth Since 2021

No more waiting. No more lamenting what could have been. The Boston Red Sox are headed to the postseason.

It took 3 1/2 years of painful mediocrity for the Red Sox to finally turn themselves into something resembling a contender. On Friday night, as Ceddanne Rafaela's walk-off triple stamped Boston's ticket to October, it all felt worthwhile.

The Red Sox (88-72) clinched a wild-card spot with a 4-3 win over the Detroit Tigers (86-74). They'll be on the road to play Game 1 of a best-of-three series beginning on Tuesday, but they're not sure who they'll face just yet.

There will be time to dissect all of that playoff info in the days to come. But for now, Red Sox players, coaches, and fans can revel in the moment. Here are what some of the members of the team had to say about the achievement.

Red Sox on heading back to postseason

Sep 26, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) addresses the team after they clinched a playoff spot after their game against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Ceddanne Rafaela: “There’s no pressure (in those situations. I want to be in those moments. I want to be there. I want to be the guy at the plate.” (via Sean McAdam of MassLive)

Trevor Story: (On Rafaela): “I want him up there in that spot every time. He’s a special player. We all know that. He loves the moment. Every time the moment’s coming around, he’s going to rise to it. Baseball’s hard, man. That’s not an easy spot to be in. To do it at such a young age is special. You could feel his vibe. He knew he was going to get enough. It just shows what he’s capable of.” (via McAdam)

Jarren Duran: “You've been here all year, so I can just lay it out for you. We’re in the greens. Close game, we’re chasing and Rafaela came up. You guys should have written that down (before) it happened. Raf has been doing this all year.” (via Ian Browne of MLB.com)

Garrett Crochet: “Even before we scored that run to put us within striking distance, I felt like everyone was extremely engaged. We owe a lot to the fans. They stuck with us through thick and thin throughout the season and ultimately, we expect to ride them in the postseason as well." (via McAdam).

Alex Cora: “It was important (to wrap it up tonight) to take care of some guys. The pitching staff, we have to make sure we’re on point going into next week, understanding that we have no idea what’s going to happen.

“But the most important thing is, we’re in. We’ll celebrate tonight and we’ll see where we’re at tomorrow.” (via McAdam).

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