Detroit Tigers' Playoff Hopes Dim After Walk-Off Loss to Boston Red Sox

Ceddanne Rafaela's ninth-inning walk-off triple off the center-field wall gave the Boston Red Sox a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park, clinching Boston's first postseason berth since 2021 after the Red Sox rallied from a 3-0 deficit. Masataka Yoshida had three hits and Aroldis Chapman earned the win, while Detroit's Casey Mize delivered 6 1/3 strong innings but the Tigers' bullpen surrendered the late runs. The loss punctuated an alarming late-season collapse for Detroit — a prolonged skid that erased a 15 1/2-game lead over Cleveland and has the Tigers tied with the Guardians, who hold the divisional tiebreaker. Despite the slide, Detroit's playoff odds remain viable because the Houston Astros have also slumped, leaving the Tigers a small magic number and roughly an 80% chance of reaching the postseason as a wild-card, most likely drawing Cleveland in a rematch. Still, deeper roster problems — notably a revolving door at third base and uneven personnel decisions — and shaky late-season form raise serious doubts about how competitive the Tigers would be in October.