(Photo credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images)

If the Red Sox were to meet the New York Yankees again in 2025, it would mean that the final two weeks of the regular season went Boston's way.

Boston (82-68) is chasing its first postseason spot since 2021 -- and a possible rematch with New York -- with a three-game set with the Athletics (70-80) starting Tuesday night. The Red Sox took two of three from the A's last week in West Sacramento, Calif.

'It'd be cool (to face the Yankees) because it means that we're in the postseason,' Boston All-Star Garrett Crochet said. 'It doesn't matter who we're playing. We're just doing everything possible to make sure we're playing our best baseball as we get down the stretch.'

Crochet delivered the type of start the Red Sox desperately needed on Sunday. After the Yankees took the first two weekend games, the left-hander struck out 12 over six innings and benefited from a six-run first in Boston's 6-4 win.

Romy Gonzalez (RBI double) extended his hit streak to 14 games, the longest active run in the majors, in the first inning and Carlos Narvaez capped off the frame with a home run.

The Sunday win not only ensured that the Red Sox will have a winning record in 2025, but moved them back within 1 1/2 games of the Yankees for the top American League wild-card spot. The Texas Rangers and Cleveland Guardians are still in pursuit with two weeks left in the regular season.

'We are where we are,' Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. 'We have bigger goals than playing over .500. Our goal is to play in October.'

An off day Monday brought the option for Cora to reset his rotation. The Red Sox opted to give southpaw Connelly Early (1-0, 0.00 ERA) his second career start in Tuesday's series opener, with Lucas Giolito (10-4, 3.31 ERA) and Brayan Bello (11-7, 3.25 ERA) following.

The 23-year-old Early gave the Red Sox every reason to believe he's up to the task in his debut last Tuesday. He was the winner in a 6-0 victory over the A's, striking out 11 across five shutout innings. He matched the franchise mark for most strikeouts in a debut, set by Don Aase in 1977.

The Athletics are by no means easy prey.

They completed their sixth series sweep this season with a 7-4 Sunday win over the Cincinnati Reds. Their 28-18 record since July 24 -- the third-best mark in MLB -- includes a current four-game win streak, sparked by a 5-4, walk-off win over the Red Sox last Wednesday.

Four home runs led the A's on Sunday, including Nick Kurtz's rookie-best 32nd. A night earlier, the first baseman and last year's No. 4 overall pick hit a 493-foot grand slam in the eighth inning -- the longest home run in MLB this season.

'He can hit it out no matter where you throw it. Up, down, in, out,' A's center fielder Lawrence Butler said. 'You might as well just put him on first base. It's insane what he's doing.'

None of the A's starters pitched more than five innings against Cincinnati. The A's turn to Jeffrey Springs (10-11, 4.28 ERA), a lefty with three consecutive losses despite reaching the sixth inning in those games. Springs allowed five runs on eight hits last Tuesday, taking his third career loss to the Red Sox. He is 0-3 with a 4.55 ERA in 14 head-to-head appearances (six starts) against Boston in his career.

A's relievers have posted MLB's second-best ERA (2.76) since trading Mason Miller to the San Diego Padres at the July 31 deadline. They allowed just three hits in four innings of one-run ball on Sunday, with Michael Kelly earning the save.

'To look at what these guys have done over the course of the last two months since Mason's been gone, they have that mindset. It's about getting outs,' A's manager Mark Kotsay said. 'When you can create that in a bullpen, it seems to really help the confidence level of each guy.'

--Field Level Media