MLB playoff contender tiers: From the locks to the long shots

MLB playoff contender tiers: From the locks to the long shots

As hot streaks and cold spells jumble the postseason picture, here's how sure we are that your team will be playing in October.

Where Do Red Sox Rank Among Playoff Contenders?

The Boston Red Sox remain in control of their own postseason fate after dropping two of three games over the weekend to the San Diego Padres. But playoff baseball at Fenway Park is far from a sure thing this fall. ESPN’s David Schoenfield ranked all of the clubs contending for playoff spots and broke teams up into tiers. The Red Sox landed in Tier III: “Have work to do.” Tier I includes the locks and Tier II includes the teams that should get in…

2025 MLB playoff contender tiers: From locks to long shots - khbrksport

David SchoenfieldAug 10, 2025, 07:00 PM ET Close Covers MLB for ESPN.com Former deputy editor of Page 2 Been with ESPN.com since 1995 The early returns from the MLB trade deadline are filtering in. The dog days of August are challenging pitching staffs. The Boston Red Sox are humming, the New York Yankees are stumbling and the New York Mets might be crumbling. Yes, it’s going to be a fun stretch drive. How do the postseason races stand? Let’s b…