Red Sox Blow Their Chance To Clinch A Playoff Spot In Toronto...But There Are Some Silver Linings

When the Astros beat the A's on Thursday afternoon, the only path for the Red Sox to clinch their first playoff spot since 2021 was to go out and beat the Blue Jays Thursday night in Toronto. With their No. 2 starter on the mound and the Jays forced into a bullpen game, clinching a spot in the postseason north of the border didn't seem impossible. 

It turns out the impossible was the Sox trying to get a hit off the Jays' bullpen guys - the Boston bats were no-hit for the first six innings (18 straight outs to start the game!!!) as they failed in their Thursday Night Clinch Attempt. 

The big blow came in the 6th inning. 

Another Trevor Story error - his 7th of September.

Bello walk. 

Bello hits a guy. 

Justin Wilson asked to come in and clean up Bello's mess with the bases loaded and no one out. Wilson got ahead of Dalton Varsho 0-2...

See ya. 4-0 Jays, 6-0 by the end of the inning. And that would be plenty. 

A game like Thursday is why people like me are/were so annoyed at Craig Breslow for waiting until the last minute and making a reportedly terrible offer to the Twins for Joe Ryan. He'd look so good behind Crochet in this rotation. And it's hard to have faith in Bello or Lucas Giolito pitching against a good offense in a best-of-three Wild Card series. 

This was sick for Bello. Moment of the night. Paints inside with the bases loaded against Varsho to get out of a massive jam. Of course, Bello walked two guys in the frame to put himself in trouble. 

Bello fell apart. Bats were sleepy. No clinch. 

A few silver linings headed into the final weekend of the season. 

⚾ By playing so well on this trip (4-2), the Sox Magic Number to clinch a playoff spot is just one. Just win a game against the Tigers, or if the Astros lose one, you're in. There will be playoff baseball next week for Red Sox fans. 

⚾ Crochet was filthy on Tuesday. The AL is WIDE OPEN, and with him at the front of the rotation, there is no reason the Sox can't find themselves in the ALCS…if Bello and or Giolito can step up. 

⚾ By losing Thursday, you have the chance to clinch in front of your own fans on Friday night at Fenway. 

And really, it's hard to get too upset about Thursday when you consider the Sox will have the chance to set up Crochet for Game One against the Yankees/Jays/Astros/Tigers/Guardians. Toronto is already discussing pitching Kevin Gausman on Sunday if the AL East is on the line. Yikes. 

If you're the Sox, go win Friday, celebrate, and get locked in for next week. 

About Friday. 

I've set the times a Boston sports radio host complains about Friday's Clinch Attempt being on Apple TV and 1,134 - and I'd take the over. Tweet me when you hear it - you'll hear it a lot. 

Yes, the game is on Apple TV. Be advised. Hopefully, it ends with the Sox clubhouse soaked in light beer and champagne, and the team planning for their first playoff games in four years.