The Boston Red Sox didn't end their season series against the New York Yankees as triumphantly as many fans hoped they would. After two demoralizing losses and a three-game skid, they at least staved off a sweep.
But they also reached another milestone they haven't achieved since 2021 — the Red Sox will finish the season with a winning record. Boston logged its 82nd win on September 15 against the Yankees, officially besting its 81-81 record from last season.
The Red Sox last made the playoffs in 2021 with a 92-70 record, they went 78-84 in 2022 and '23, and were perfectly average last year. Boston would have to win all 12 of its final games to match its 2021 record, which would be improbable with the Blue Jays and Tigers coming in the final week of the season.
Since the loss of Roman Anthony to an oblique injury, the Red Sox's offense has left much to be desired. Boston mustered six runs in its season series finale against New York, but all the runs came in the first inning, and it was held to four runs, 12 hits and 20 strikeouts in the first two games combined.
Red Sox post first winning season since 2021 after September 14 win over Yankees
Still, securing a winning record is progress compared to previous seasons and the postseason is still well within the Sox's sight lines. As of September 15, the Red Sox have a 90.7% chance to make the playoffs, per FanGraphs. Their chance to win the division is a minuscule 0.7%, but the Sox have been taking baby steps toward their return to the playoffs for years now.
At the beginning of the 2025 season, Craig Breslow and other members of the Sox's front office hoped they'd built a team capable of winning the American League East. Many months, many more injuries and another botched trade deadline later, a division win looks unlikely. But the Red Sox got a look at what their future holds in many different ways.
Top prospect debuts from Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Hunter Dobbins, Payton Tolle, Kristian Campbell and Connelly Early show the next few years in the Red Sox organization will be bright. Boston has Trevor Story and Aroldis Chapman under contract for 2026 after massive rebound seasons (barring an opt out from Story, which seems unlikely), and it surely hopes to keep Alex Bregman around for future postseason runs.
This winning season is a massive step in the right direction for the Red Sox, who finally seem close to completing their rebuild after nearly five years. If this season is any indication, there will be more winning slates in Boston's near future, provided the front office plays its cards right in the free agent and trade markets this offseason.