Blue Jays slam brakes on Red Sox’ opportunity to clinch a spot in postseason; Toronto’s bullpen silences Boston’s bats in 6-1 stinker

The Red Sox will need to wait at least another day before punching their ticket to the postseason.

Boston was denied the sweep of Toronto on Thursday night, dropping the series finale 6-1, largely in part due to a Daulton Varsho grand slam that sent a dagger through the Sox and kept their magic number sitting at one game. The Sox can clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win or the Astros’ next loss, locking up an American League wild-card berth — and their first appearance in October since 2021.

Toronto went with a bullpen game in the series finale and silenced the Sox offense. The Blue Jays' bullpen allowed just one run on four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. They didn’t surrender a hit to Boston until the seventh inning, when Jarren Duran ripped a leadoff double into right field and later scored on a Trevor Story single up the middle, making it 6-1.

“That’s one of the best teams in the big leagues, and we did an outstanding job the whole week except one inning,” Alex Cora said following the game. “You tip your hat to them; it was a great road trip, and now we know what we need to do at home.”

The combination of Blue Jays’ relievers Louis Varland, Eric Lauer, and Yariel Rodríguez retired the first 18 Red Sox hitters in a row. Garland set the tone, retiring the first six Sox batters to open the game. The Jays went to Lauer, who then sat down 10 straight batters, followed by Rodrigues, who came in with one out in the sixth and retired the two men he faced.

Boston needed Brayan Bello to step up, and while he was able to keep the Sox in the game for the most part, his command was an issue, and he was ultimately snakebitten in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Shortstop Trevor Story committed a costly throwing error to first base to allow Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to reach to open the inning. That began a four-run rally that buried the Sox and forced the clubhouse attendants to wheel the celebratory champagne and beer carts back into the cooler.

Story has been dreadful defensively over the last seven games, committing six errors — five of them throwing errors.

“I think just not finishing the play… Late in the season, I think, your body can get tired, but that’s no excuse. It’s really just not finishing the play. So it’s on me. I've gotta be obviously very diligent about finishing the throw,” Story said of his struggles over the last week.

He doubled down and said his arm feels fine and he is not hurt, resulting in the erratic throws from shortstop.

"It feels good,” Story said of his throwing arm and shoulder. “Yeah, it feels great. Obviously, it’s been a long season, but no problems there."

Bello then walked Addison Barger and hit Anthony Santander with a pitch, loading the bases with no outs and prompting Cora to go to left-hander Justin Wilson out of the bullpen to face Varsho. That plan backfired, and Varsho crushed an 0-2 fastball from Wilson 371 feet over the right field wall to put the Blue Jays up 4-0. Toronto wasn’t done; Andres Gimenez hit a double, and George Springer belted a two-run homer off Zack Kelly, making it 6-0.

According to WEEI’s Rob Bradford, Varsho’s grand slam was the first one Wilson has surrendered in his big league career.

“I got into a good rhythm until that sixth inning when I lost my command,” Bello said via interpreter Carlos Villoria Benítez. “But besides that, I felt like it was a very good outing.”

Bello went five-plus innings, allowing three runs (two earned), three hits, and three walks, and added three strikeouts.

“He did a good job, better than the last one,” Cora said. “Stuff was crisp. There were some walks there. But he beat some guys to the spot, Vladdy, George, so it was a step in the right direction.”

With the loss, the Red Sox were officially eliminated from winning the American League East. The win for the Blue Jays ensures they will remain in a tie for first place. The Yankees also won on Thursday night, meaning they will finish ahead of Boston in the standings, and the Red Sox can secure only a wild card spot in the postseason and will open on the road.

They will get an opportunity to clinch at home at Fenway Park when the Sox host the scuffling Tigers, who are trying to avoid a massive late-season collapse and clinch the American League Central crown. Boston will send left-hander Kyle Harrison to the mound. It will be his second start in a Red Sox uniform, and he will be opposed by Tigers righty Casey Mize.

If Red Sox fans were hoping to hunker down at home for some Friday night baseball on NESN, guess again. The series opener between the Sox and Tigers can be seen on Apple TV.