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After a long and tough season, the Boston Red Sox are set to face off against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park. This game will mark the end of their 2024 season.
Winning against the Rays would give the Red Sox a .500 record for the season and place them in third in the American League East. However, there’s also a strategic reason for the team to consider losing this game. As of now, Boston is one of the nine worst teams in baseball, which means they would have a better chance at securing a top pick in the 2025 MLB draft lottery.
Currently, they are tied with the San Francisco Giants and the Tampa Bay Rays for this position, but Boston holds the tiebreaker advantage over the Giants. If the Red Sox win this final game, they risk slipping down the draft order to 13th place, especially if the Giants lose their game against the St. Louis Cardinals on the same day.
It’s important to note that the players on the field are going to be giving their all and won’t deliberately try to lose. However, if they did lose, it might actually work in the team’s favor. A higher draft pick could mean the chance to bring in a top talent who could significantly enhance their roster. This would help Boston maintain one of the strongest farm systems in baseball and increase their chances of competing for championships in the future.