Red Sox Playoff Push: No. 2 Wild Card Magic Number, Unlikely Path Past Yankees

The Boston Red Sox have more work to do after locking up a playoff spot on Sunday.

Sep 18, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Members of the Boston Red Sox celebrate after getting the final out against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Boston Red Sox locked up a playoff berth on Sunday for the second straight season and now there is more work to do.

On Sunday, the Red Sox lost against the Tampa Bay Rays, but were able to clinch a playoff berth because of the fact that the Houston Astros lost against the Atlanta Braves. It doesn't matter how you get in, as long as you advance and Boston has done what was once unthinkable. The Red Sox flipped their season from 14 games below .500 to making the postseason. It's been a special run, but there's more to come.

When the Red Sox clinched a playoff berth on Sunday, they clinched at least the No. 3 American League Wild Card spot. Next up will be clinching the No. 2 American League Wild Card spot. Boston's magic number to do so is down to three with six games to go.

Boston will kick off a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday. Cleveland's magic number for the No. 2 Wild Card spot is at six. So, the Red Sox will have a chance to knock the Guardians out of contention for the spot with a winning series.

The Red Sox Have More Clinching To Do

Sep 13, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Payton Tolle (70) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Also, Boston is technically not out of the mix yet for the top Wild Card spot, although the odds of the Red Sox landing it are close to zero. The New York Yankees have the top spot and their magic number to clinch is down to one. So, for the Red Sox to make up ground and catch New York, it will need to win out and for the Yankees to lose out at the same time.

Any win by the Yankees will drop that magic number down to zero. Also, any loss by the Red Sox will do the same. Boston has six games left with three against the Guardians and three against the Chicago Cubs. New York has seven games left with four against the Rays and three against the Baltimore Orioles.

Technically, it's possible for Boston to jump the Yankees in the standings. We've seen Boston put together some long winning streaks this season, to say the least. But the odds of Boston winning six in a row at the same time New York loses seven in a row is just improbable.

Boston's magic number for the No. 2 American League Wild Card spot is down to three. That's what fans should be paying attention to, rather than a pipe dream to land the top spot at this point.