Boston Red Sox Clinch MLB Playoff Spot with Walk-Off Win

Fenway Park, Boston, September 28, 2025

News Summary

In a thrilling game at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox secured their place in the MLB playoffs with a 4-3 walk-off victory against the Detroit Tigers. After trailing 3-0, the Red Sox mounted a late rally, with Jarren Duran tying the game and Ceddanne Rafaela delivering the game-winning triple. This marked Boston’s 12th walk-off win of the season and ended a four-year playoff drought, positioning them as the No. 2 Wild Card team in the American League.

Boston — The Boston Red Sox officially clinched a spot in the MLB playoffs with a walk-off win against the Detroit Tigers. The game ended with a 4-3 victory for the Red Sox after a late rally at Fenway Park.

Key outcome

The final score of the game was 4-3 in favor of the Red Sox. The win marked Boston’s 12th walk-off victory of the season and put the team at 88-72 overall. The victory ended a four-year playoff drought for the Red Sox.

How the game unfolded

The Red Sox trailed 3-0 at one point during the game. A critical late rally produced multiple decisive moments. Jarren Duran tied the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Ceddanne Rafaela hit a game-winning triple in the bottom of the ninth inning. Romy Gonzalez scored the winning run on Rafaela’s triple.

Significance and context

The Red Sox happened to clinch their postseason spot with a walk-off win for the first time in at least a century. The team last made the postseason in 2021, when they reached the American League Championship Series. Since that run, the roster has changed significantly, and the club has seen significant turnover since their last playoff appearance in 2021, with key players no longer on the roster.

Roster and roster experience

The Red Sox’s postseason roster features a mix of new and experienced players, with Alex Bregman having the most playoff experience (99 games). Among players who were part of the 2021 playoff team, Garrett Whitlock is the only remaining player from the 2021 Red Sox team that made the playoffs. A dominant performance from younger contributors has been a theme this season, and a dominant performance from rookie players, especially Rafaela and Duran, contributed to the team’s success this season.

Postseason placement and next steps

Boston currently ranks as the No. 2 Wild Card team in the American League. The club could potentially face the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Guardians, or Detroit Tigers in the wild-card round. For the start of the Wild Card series, Ace Garrett Crochet is expected to start Game 1 of the Wild Card series.

Celebration and atmosphere

The win occurred at Fenway Park, celebrating in front of a sold-out crowd. The Red Sox celebrated their playoff berth in the locker room after the game, with manager Alex Cora praising the team.

What this win means

The comeback victory and late scoring highlighted both resiliency and contributions from multiple parts of the roster. The club’s walk-off clincher adds to a season marked by close finishes and impactful performances from newly integrated players and veterans alike. Boston advances to the postseason having ended a multi-year absence and will prepare to match up against one of the teams eligible for the wild-card round.

Frequently Asked Questions

{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “FAQPage”,
“mainEntity”: [
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Did the Boston Red Sox clinch a playoff spot with a walk-off win?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The Boston Red Sox officially clinched a spot in the MLB playoffs with a walk-off win against the Detroit Tigers.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What was the final score of the clinching game?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The final score of the game was 4-3 in favor of the Red Sox.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Were the Red Sox trailing during the game?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The Red Sox trailed 3-0 at one point during the game.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Who tied the game for Boston late in the game?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Jarren Duran tied the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Who delivered the game-winning hit?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Ceddanne Rafaela hit a game-winning triple in the bottom of the ninth inning.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Who scored the winning run?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Romy Gonzalez scored the winning run on Rafaela’s triple.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How many walk-off wins has Boston recorded this season?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The win marked Boston’s 12th walk-off victory of the season, putting them at 88-72 overall.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Did this win end a playoff drought?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “This clinching victory ended a four-year playoff drought for the Red Sox.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “When did the Red Sox last make the postseason?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The Red Sox last made the postseason in 2021, when they reached the American League Championship Series.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Who might Boston face in the wild-card round?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Boston could potentially face the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Guardians, or Detroit Tigers in the wild-card round.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is Boston’s Wild Card ranking?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The Red Sox currently rank as the No. 2 Wild Card team in the American League.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Who is expected to start Game 1 of the Wild Card series?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Ace Garrett Crochet is expected to start Game 1 of the Wild Card series.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What can be said about the postseason roster?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The Red Sox’s postseason roster features a mix of new and experienced players, with Alex Bregman having the most playoff experience (99 games).”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Which player remains from the 2021 playoff team?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Garrett Whitlock is the only remaining player from the 2021 Red Sox team that made the playoffs.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How did the team celebrate?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The Red Sox celebrated their playoff berth in the locker room after the game, with manager Alex Cora praising the team.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Where was the clinching game played and what was the crowd like?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The game was played at Fenway Park, celebrating in front of a sold-out crowd.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Was this a historic way to clinch?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The Red Sox happened to clinch their postseason spot with a walk-off win for the first time in at least a century.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Has the roster changed since 2021?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The team experienced significant turnover since their last playoff appearance in 2021, with key players no longer on the roster.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Did rookies play a major role this season?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “A dominant performance from rookie players, especially Rafaela and Duran, contributed to the team’s success this season.”
}
}
]
}

Quick reference table

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

HERE Resources

Red Sox Clinch Playoff Berth with Walk-Off Victory
Garrett Crochet Leads Red Sox to Victory Over Yankees
Golf Channel Games to Debut in Jupiter, Florida
Palm Beach Gardens Introduces Innovative Golf League
Boston Ready to Spring into Fun with Free Events This Week!

Additional Resources

• Boston.com: Red Sox Postseason
• ESPN: Red Sox Clinch Playoff Berth
• CBS News: Red Sox Clinch MLB Playoffs
• The New York Times: MLB Playoff Watch
• Sports Illustrated: Red Sox React to Playoff Berth
• Wikipedia: Boston Red Sox
• Google Search: Boston Red Sox playoffs
• Google Scholar: Boston Red Sox
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Boston Red Sox
• Google News: Boston Red Sox

Author: STAFF HERE BOSTON WRITER

BOSTON STAFF WRITER The BOSTON STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREBoston.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Boston, Suffolk County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Boston Marathon, Head of the Charles Regatta, and Boston Harborfest. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Massachusetts, plus leading businesses in finance, biotech, and insurance that power the local economy such as Fidelity Investments, Biogen, and Liberty Mutual Insurance. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Massachusetts's dynamic landscape.