Sep 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Alex Cora Delivers Urgent 5-Word Bulletin On Red Sox's Fading Playoff Hopes

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Sep 19, 2025 12:00 PM ET

If September collapses aren't already the Boston Red Sox's signature, it's getting dangerously close.

For the last three years, the Red Sox were dreadful in September. They weren't particularly good in 2021, either, but at least they buckled down and secured a playoff spot on the season's last day. This season, they might be headed for the same nervous ending -- or for something far worse.

After back-to-back series losses at Fenway Park, the Red Sox have just a 1 1/2-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians. Per Fangraphs, the Red Sox's odds of making the playoffs have fallen to 83.0% -- down from 98.2% when Roman Anthony got hurt against the Guardians on Sept. 2.

Manager Alex Cora's message on playoff 'destiny'

Manager Alex Cora knows his team is in trouble of blowing what should have been a near-guaranteed trip to October. Boston has lost eight of its last 13, and the Guardians have won 12 of 13 to make up seven lightning-fast games in the standings.

However, Cora also feels as though as long as the team's fortunes are in its own hands, they can't complain.

“We control our own destiny,” said Cora, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive. “That’s the way I see it.”

Boston will send ace Garrett Crochet to the mound for the penultimate time this season on Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays. It's a crucial game to win, and Cora laid out the blueprint for how he wants to see his team finish.

“We’ve got to play better baseball. That’s it,” said Cora. “Offensively, there were some signs today but we’re not there offensively. We’ve just got to make sure we understand who we are as an offense. We’ve got to keep the line moving.

“When we’re good, we don’t strike out, we hit the ball all over the place, we run the bases and the starter doesn’t go six.”

Time and time again, Crochet has been there to keep Boston on course when everything was going haywire around them. On Friday night, they call upon him again, needing him to bail them out of the ultiamte pickle.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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