The Boston Red Sox are close to clinching a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2021.The Red Sox (87-71) can make the playoffs Thursday with a win against the Toronto Blue Jays, or if the Houston Astros (84-74) lose to the Athletics. First pitch between the Astros and A’s is scheduled for 3:35 p.m., which means the Sox could already know if they are postseason bound by the time their game against the Blue Jays starts at 7:07 p.m.Boston currently holds the second of three American League wild card spots and is in third place in the AL East. Toronto and the New York Yankees are tied atop the division at 90-68, but the Blue Jays hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Yankees by winning eight of the 13 games in which they faced each other.If the Red Sox defeat the Blue Jays on Thursday, there is a slim chance they could win the division. Boston would then need to win all three games of the season finale series against the Detroit Tigers (85-73), a team that has lost nine of its last 10 games but currently holds the third and final AL wild card spot by one game over Houston.In order for the Red Sox to win the AL East, the Blue Jays would also have to lose their final four games because they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker in the season series (7-5). After its final game against Boston, Toronto hosts the Tampa Bay Rays (77-81) for a three-game series.The Yankees would also have to lose three of their final four games in order for the Red Sox to win the division. New York hosts the Chicago White Sox on Thursday before hosting the Baltimore Orioles for three games. If the Red Sox and Yankees both finish 91-71 and the Blue Jays finish 90-72, Boston would win the division because it beat New York nine out of 13 times in the regular season.The MLB postseason starts Tuesday, Sept. 30, with the first games of the wild card round.Recent Red Sox postseason historyThe last time the Red Sox were in the postseason, they advanced to the American League Championship Series. Boston wound up falling to Houston in six games in the 2021 ALCS.Since Fenway Sports Group acquired the team in 2002, the Red Sox have won four World Series championships — the most in MLB during that span. Those titles came in 2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018.Boston’s current postseason drought is tied for the longest under Fenway Sports Group. The Red Sox had previously missed the playoffs for three straight years from 2010 through 2012.

PORTLAND, Maine —

The Boston Red Sox are close to clinching a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2021.

The Red Sox (87-71) can make the playoffs Thursday with a win against the Toronto Blue Jays, or if the Houston Astros (84-74) lose to the Athletics. First pitch between the Astros and A’s is scheduled for 3:35 p.m., which means the Sox could already know if they are postseason bound by the time their game against the Blue Jays starts at 7:07 p.m.

Boston currently holds the second of three American League wild card spots and is in third place in the AL East. Toronto and the New York Yankees are tied atop the division at 90-68, but the Blue Jays hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Yankees by winning eight of the 13 games in which they faced each other.

If the Red Sox defeat the Blue Jays on Thursday, there is a slim chance they could win the division. Boston would then need to win all three games of the season finale series against the Detroit Tigers (85-73), a team that has lost nine of its last 10 games but currently holds the third and final AL wild card spot by one game over Houston.

In order for the Red Sox to win the AL East, the Blue Jays would also have to lose their final four games because they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker in the season series (7-5). After its final game against Boston, Toronto hosts the Tampa Bay Rays (77-81) for a three-game series.

The Yankees would also have to lose three of their final four games in order for the Red Sox to win the division. New York hosts the Chicago White Sox on Thursday before hosting the Baltimore Orioles for three games. If the Red Sox and Yankees both finish 91-71 and the Blue Jays finish 90-72, Boston would win the division because it beat New York nine out of 13 times in the regular season.

The MLB postseason starts Tuesday, Sept. 30, with the first games of the wild card round.

Recent Red Sox postseason history

The last time the Red Sox were in the postseason, they advanced to the American League Championship Series. Boston wound up falling to Houston in six games in the 2021 ALCS.

Since Fenway Sports Group acquired the team in 2002, the Red Sox have won four World Series championships — the most in MLB during that span. Those titles came in 2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018.

Boston’s current postseason drought is tied for the longest under Fenway Sports Group. The Red Sox had previously missed the playoffs for three straight years from 2010 through 2012.