Red Sox's Magic Number Hits Single Digits On Perfect Off-Day For Boston

While the Boston Red Sox were resting at home, the action around Major League Baseball was unfolding in an absolutely ideal manner on Monday.

Entering the day, Boston held a three-game lead over the Texas Rangers, the first team on the outside looking in at the American League Wild Card picture. Texas clinched the tiebreaker over Boston with a 4-3 record in the season series, so the Red Sox's magic number to clinch the playoffs sat at 10 with each team having 12 games left on its schedule.

Thanks to the Houston Astros, another team the Red Sox are jockeying with for playoff position, that number is now in the single digits.

Astros beat Rangers on ideal day for Red Sox

Carlos Correa and Jeremy Peña — Sep 15, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Carlos Correa (1) is congratulated by Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) after the final out against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

In Houston, the Astros took down the Rangers 6-3, meaning the Red Sox's new magic number to clinch a playoff spot is nine. However, the Rangers are no longer the only team whose losses affect that magic number, at least for now.

Texas is now three games back of the final wild card spot, and 3 1/2 back of the Red Sox. The same goes for the Cleveland Guardians, who have played two fewer games than the Rangers, and technically lead them in the standings based on percentage points.

The Rangers have 72 losses, while the Guardians have 71. However, the Red Sox own the tiebreaker over Cleveland, so their magic number is nine to clinch a playoff spot over both teams.

The Rangers' loss was only part of the fun for the Red Sox on Monday, however.

At Target Field, the New York Yankees forgot to show up for the first game of their road trip against the Minnesota Twins, falling 7-0 while perhaps still recovering from Sunday night's battle in Boston. The Red Sox now trail the Yankees by just one game for the top wild card spot, with the tiebreaker in hand.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 2-1 in extra innings. While that essentially eliminated the Red Sox's ever-shrinking odds to win the division, it also gave the Blue Jays a solid chance of clinching before they face Boston next Tuesday through Thursday. Toronto and New York both have six more games this week, and the magic number for the Jays to clinch is seven.

As of Tuesday, the Red Sox can stop scoreboard watching and turn their attention to a crucial three-game series with the Athletics.

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