Thanks to MLB’s expanded playoffs, the Red Sox still aren’t out of it

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 31: The Boston Red Sox ride in duck boats on Tremont Street during the Boston Red Sox Victory Parade on October 31, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images There have been a lot of words spilled about the Mets and the Giants and the Blue Jays and the Red Sox potentially ending their October dreams, well, already. Seeing things like “only 3% of teams playing this poorly have gone on to make the playoffs” makes it sound like a done deal.

But for most of baseball history making the playoffs was hard. Really hard. And the Red Sox are making it as hard as possible as they open the season going 9-14.

Until 1968 only two teams made the postseason. They played in the World Series. When the Yankees talk about “27 rings” remember that 20 of those were won via a single round of postseason play.

(Yes that applies to the Red Sox too, but no other team is chanting their total titles. ) The winner of that series won the World Series. No random chance 84-win team sending their ace in a coin-flip game.