Overview

• Boston beat New York 6-4 at Fenway with a six-run first inning as Garrett Crochet struck out 12, securing the Red Sox’s first winning season since 2021.
• The Yankees sit at 83-66 in the top AL wild-card spot with the Red Sox at 82-68, 1.5 games back, making a best-of-three 4 vs. 5 series starting Sept. 30 a realistic scenario hosted by the better record.
• Pete Alonso’s three-run walk-off ended the Mets’ eight-game skid and restored a 1.5-game cushion for the final NL wild-card over the Giants, with New York holding that tiebreaker and 12 games remaining.
• ESPN’s analysis details the Mets’ steep second-half slide since mid-June, citing worsened rotation and bullpen performance despite promising rookie starts and Edwin Díaz’s late-game escapes.
• FanGraphs heavily favors Toronto to win the AL East at roughly 92% as Philadelphia’s Matt Strahm sits two outs from vesting a 2026 option via an innings threshold.