Two once-proud franchises back in the postseason after long absences (Boston 2018, Houston 2024) battled it out for the right to face the Rays in the ALDS. It will be the Red Sox, as they got a 9th-inning run to edge the Astros 4-3. The Rays and Red Sox have met twice in the playoffs before, first in the 2008 ALCS which the Rays took in 7 to advance to their first-ever World Series, and again in 2013 when the Sox took the Rays in 4 in the ALDS on their way to a World Series win.
