The Boston Red Sox have stumbled out of the gate in 2026, and it hasn't been pretty. Like the Philadelphia Phillies, they've already made a managerial change, parting ways with Alex Cora after a rough start. But here's the twist: a so-called "hot take" postseason prediction might not be as spicy as it sounds.

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently dropped a bold forecast: "Boston Red Sox still make the postseason." At first glance, that might raise eyebrows. But dig a little deeper, and you'll see why this take is more lukewarm than scorching.

Sure, Boston is sitting at 16-21, and the city's sports scene has seen better days. But look at the standings, and the picture changes. The Red Sox are nine games back of the New York Yankees in the AL East—a gap that seems daunting. However, in the AL Wild Card race, they're just 1.5 games out. That's right: despite the early struggles, they're practically knocking on the door.

Consider this: the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners, both 18-20, currently hold postseason spots. The Athletics (18-18) lead the AL West, and the Cleveland Guardians (19-19) top the AL Central. The American League is wide open, and Boston's hole isn't as deep as it appears.

With over 100 games remaining, closing a 1.5-game gap is far from a Herculean task. So while it might feel like a scorcher to predict playoff baseball for a team that fired its manager in May, the reality is that the Red Sox are already within striking distance. Sometimes, the hottest takes are the ones that just make the most sense.