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Alex Cora sets Red Sox goal for 2025: playoffs

Alex Cora sets Red Sox goal for 2025: playoffs

Playoffs, the manager replied.

“We want to play in October,” said Cora, whose club finished 81-81. “I do think we’ll have a chance.”

As simple as that sounds, the Red Sox have proven for more than half a decade that making it through October is anything but easy.

After promising starts, the team experienced a history of free fall when it really mattered. They haven’t had a winning August since 2020. The Sox went 24-30 in the final two months of this season, weakened by an offense that ran pitch black.

The other teams in the AL wild-card hunt also went cold, making the Sox’ failed postseason push even worse.

The Royals snapped a seven-game losing streak from late August through September, but the Sox were unable to make up any ground. Late that month, Kansas City lost seven games again, but by that time the Sox players had already booked offseason vacations. Kansas City ultimately punched its ticket as one of the three wildcard teams.

Late last month, the Tigers began their series against the Sox five games behind in the wild-card race and 1½ games behind the Red Sox. They too have bought their ticket for the postseason.

“Of course it’s disappointing that we didn’t make it, especially considering how the season has gone over the last month and a half, not just for us but across the league,” Cora said. “You know, we had a chance and we didn’t take it.”

In the Sox’s last chance this season, they avoided a win against the Rays. Pitcher Quinn Priest made his debut for the club and got the win over five innings, allowing just one run on four hits, one strikeout and one walk in 89 pitches (58 strikes).

Vaughn Grissom got the Sox on the field in the third with an RBI double against the Green Monster, bringing home Jarren Duran. Triston Casas’ fielder’s choice gave Grissom a 2-0 lead. In the fifth round, field player Grissom, selected by Connor Wong, scored to make it 3-1.

The maligned Sox bullpen finished the season strong, with Josh Winckowski, Luis Guerrero, Chris Martin and Justin Slaten each throwing a scoreless frame, with Slaten ending the season with his second save.

Julian McWilliams can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @byJulianMack.