Red Sox get a postseason lifeline thanks in part to their biggest rival

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have what many consider the most heated rivalry in the MLB -- and American sports in general.

This feud between Boston and New York dates back over a century ago. There have been countless spirited battles between the Red Sox and Yankees. However, the former owes its American League East counterpart a massive thank you for keeping their 2024 playoff aspirations alive in more ways than one.

On Monday, the Yankees thrashed the Kansas City Royals 10-4, which helped the Red Sox in turn. Boston needs all the support they can get, and the Crowns hold one of the three AL Wild Card spots. So, New York inadvertently did their archnemesis a favor.

Boston still trails Kansas City by north of a handful of games. Not to mention, the Minnesota Twins sandwich the two clubs in the Wild Card picture. Nonetheless, the Yanks assisted the Sox to bridge the gap ever so slightly. 

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Red Sox get a postseason lifeline thanks in part to their biggest rival, the Yankees

Moreover, the Red Sox have also benefited from beating the Yankees in five of their nine meetings this season. Combine all the factors, and the Bronx Bombers have contributed to their sworn enemies' postseason ambitions more generously than they'd want. 

Sitting at 73-71 going into Tuesday, the Red Sox are three games back of the Twins for the league's third and final Wild Card spot. FanGraphs' projections give Boston an 11.3 percent chance of earning a playoff bid. Albeit a low probability, there's at least a glimmer of hope.

Regardless, Boston's odds of playing October baseball are slim to none. But they can see a light at the end of the tunnel because the Yankees are unintentionally enabling their longtime foe.

Ultimately, the Yankees remain focused on securing their place in the playoffs. If it means putting the Red Sox in a better position, so be it.