Red Sox’s Alex Cora Has Blunt Take on Wild Card Race as Chances Drop

By Aaliyan Mohammed is a newsweek contributor based in Atlanta, Georgia. Its goal is MLB content. Aaliyan has been at Newsweek since 2024 and previously worked on mlb.com, Wisconsin Sports Heroisics and Heavy.com. He graduated from the Mississippi State University. You can contact Aaliyan by sending an e-mail to a.mohammed@newsweek.com Aaliyan Mohammed Contributory sports writer press article Based on the facts, either observed and checked first by the journalist, or reported and verified from competent sources. Share✓ Link copied to the clipboard! Listen Translate English (original) Español中国人FrenchDeutschPortugueseहिन्दीNewsweek AI is in a beta version. Translations may contain inaccuracies - Please refer to the original content. Read original Speed: 0.5xSpeed: 1xSpeed: 1.5xSpeed: 2x 🎙️ The voice is generated by AI. Inconsistencies can occur. ✖ The Boston Red Soxs lost two out of three games against athletics in their last series.After the defeat, the Red Sox have only 1 1/2 advance on the Cleveland Guardians for the last place of the Joker. The Guardians returned to the post-season race and now threaten the Red Sox.Although the guards do not let the Red Sox get comfortable, manager Alex Cora does not care what the guards do in the last straight. Sacramento, California - September 08: Manager Alex Cora # 13 of the Boston Red Sox launched before the match against athletics at Sutter Health Park on September 08, 2025 in Sacramento, California. Sacramento, California - September 08: Manager Alex Cora # 13 of the Boston Red Sox launched before the match against athletics at Sutter Health Park on September 08, 2025 in Sacramento, California. Images of Lachlan Cunningham / Getty "We control our own destiny," Cora told journalists, according to Christopher Smith de Masslive, after the defeat of the series at A. "So go to Tampa, win a series. That's how I see it."The Guardians are only 3 1/2 games behind the Tigers de Detroit now. Tigers looked like locks to win the division, but after being swept by the Guardians this week, things are very in question.The chances of the Red Sox to make the playoffs are reduced to 83.2%, according to Fangraphs. The team ratings were 91.1% before the series against the A.The Red Sox ends the season against the Rays of Tampa Bay, the Jays Blue Toronto and the Tigers. If the guards exceed the tigers in the division, the last series of Red Sox against the Tigers could finally decide who goes to the playoffs.Cora is right, however. The Red Sox do not need to worry about what other teams do as long as they continue to win. The 1/2 match cushion is not much, but all that the Red Sox have to do is to enter it. Once the beginning of October, anything can happen and each team has a clean slate.More MLB: Mookie Betts reveals 1 I want to accompany the World Series if the dodgers repeat themselves