Red Sox officially eliminated from playoff race

For the fifth time in the last six years, the Red Sox will watch October baseball from home.

The Red Sox’ quest for the 2024 playoffs ended Wednesday night, with Boston losing 6-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. It’s the third straight year the Red Sox have failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Wednesday’s result was far from a surprise, as Boston entered the night 3.5 games behind the Royals and Tigers for the third and final American League wild-card spot.

The only scenario in which Boston has clinched a playoff spot has been by winning its last four games – and the Royals by losing four of five, the Twins by losing three of five and the Mariners by losing one of their last four games.

The odds haven’t been in Boston’s favor for weeks, given the Red Sox’s second-half rout.

After entering the All-Star break with a 53-42 record, Boston quickly lost momentum, dropping seven of its first nine games after the break. Overall, the Red Sox have gone 27-37 since mid-July, effectively killing any chance of Fenway Park remaining open in October.

While Boston’s training system has made significant progress this summer, the results at the major league level leave much to be desired.

Speaking to Alex Speier about The Boston Globe Before Wednesday’s game, Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow acknowledged that any promising progress the organization has made has been jeopardized by another season that ends in September.

“We’re playing these games to make the playoffs, to win the World Series. And if we don’t, it’s going to be a disappointment. I want it to be a disappointment. I want it to hurt,” Breslow said. “That’s not to say we can’t find things that we did well or things that are encouraging or reasons to be optimistic, but at the end of the day, we’re playing these seasons to win games and make the playoffs. We’re potentially looking at a season where that doesn’t happen.”

The Red Sox have just three games left on their schedule, with Boston hosting the Rays at Fenway Park from Friday to Sunday.