The Boston Red Sox have officially clinched a postseason berth, completing one of the most improbable turnarounds in MLB history.
But the real test begins next week. After falling to the New York Yankees in last year’s Wild Card Series, Boston is looking to make a deeper October run this time around, and it looks like the Yankees will once again stand in the way.
It’s been a total team effort for Boston all season long, but the playoffs are where stars emerge and the margin for error becomes razor thin. While nearly everyone on the postseason roster will play a role, we’ve narrowed it down to the 10 players who could have the biggest impact on how far this team goes.
Here are the 10 most important — not necessarily the best — Red Sox players for the 2026 playoffs:
1. Payton Tolle, SP
What a difference a year makes. Last year, Tolle experienced growing pains in his first MLB stint and pitched just 1/3 of an inning in the Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium. This time, he’s coming off an exceptional rookie campaign with a chance to start Game 1 in the Bronx.
Tolle will enter the postseason with momentum on his side. The 23-year-old tallied 12 strikeouts while allowing just one run in six innings against Baltimore. He followed that up with six shutout innings against Kansas City, including an immaculate inning to begin the game.
If Tolle continues to perform at this level, he’ll give the Red Sox another frontline starter who can match up against other teams’ aces. He’s the pitcher with the greatest opportunity to change the trajectory of this postseason roster.
If the Red Sox make a deep postseason run, it’ll be because their rookie left-hander delivered each time he took the mound on the big stage.
2. Sonny Gray, SP
We’re sticking with pitching, because pitching is what propelled this Red Sox club to a postseason berth in the first place.
If Tolle is No. 1, it would be silly not to put Gray right behind him at No. 2. The 36-year-old veteran stabilized the rotation in the wake of Garrett Crochet’s injury. He was signed to be the No. 3 starter behind Crochet and Ranger Suarez, but he performed like an ace with a 17-5 record and a 2.82 ERA in 28 starts.
Now, Boston will lean on Gray and his big-game experience to lead the staff in October. Even if he doesn’t start Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, Gray will play a huge role in any postseason success.
3. Roman Anthony, LF/DH
The top position player on our list is the 22-year-old many expected to anchor Boston’s lineup and produce an MVP-caliber season in 2026. Instead, Anthony spent most of the year on the injured list and has largely struggled in the 50 games he’s been healthy. We know what the former No. 1 prospect is capable of, however, and he’ll significantly raise the Red Sox’ ceiling if he plays up to his potential in the postseason.
The Red Sox will lean heavily on their pitching staff throughout the playoffs, but Anthony is the X-factor in the lineup. This is a completely different club when he gets hot.
All it will take is a signature postseason moment for Red Sox fans to forget about the disappointing start to Anthony’s young career.
Tom Giles, Meghan Ottolini and Trenni Casey discuss whether 22-year old Roman Anthony can carry the Red Sox through the playoffs
4. Ranger Suarez, SP
OK, back to pitching. A big reason the Red Sox signed Suarez to a five-year, $130 million contract in free agency is that he has a stellar postseason track record. The 31-year-old boasts a 1.48 ERA across 11 playoff appearances (eight starts) with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is we project him to be the No. 3 starter, which means we won’t even see him if the Sox get swept out of the Wild Card Series. If Boston advances, another strong postseason from Suarez will be critical for their World Series chances.
5. Wilyer Abreu, RF
Abreu is one of Boston’s best all-around players, but he’s a streaky hitter. The Red Sox’ mediocre offense can’t afford for him to go cold in the postseason, so he’s an incredibly important piece if they hope to make a deep run.
When he’s hot, Abreu’s bat is elite. He leads the American League with 36 doubles along with 24 homers in 151 games.
As important as his bat will be, Abreu’s Gold Glove defense in right field will also be a difference-maker. Postseason games can come down to one defensive miscue, and Abreu has earned a reputation as one of the best defensive right fielders in baseball.
If Abreu can give the Red Sox consistent at-bats and quality defense, he can quietly become one of the most impactful players on the roster over an entire series.
6. Willson Contreras, 1B
We’ve got the Venezuelan sluggers back-to-back. Contreras has been the Red Sox’ most consistent bat all season, and he’ll be leaned on heavily in the heart of the lineup throughout the playoffs.
Unlike most of Boston’s lineup, Contreras will enter the Wild Card Series with plenty of postseason experience. He won a World Series with the 2016 Chicago Cubs and has 30 playoff games under his belt in total.
With a team-high 27 homers, Contreras will be counted on to supply the Red Sox lineup with power throughout their playoff run. If he goes cold, there will be even more pressure on guys like Anthony, Abreu, and the player who’s next up on our list to get runs on the board.
7. Adley Rutschman, C
Rutschman will need to step it up offensively, but his importance goes beyond his bat because of his position. One could argue the role he plays behind the plate is even more crucial.
As Boston’s starting catcher, Rutschman will be responsible for managing the pitching staff through almost every postseason game, meaning he’ll be involved on almost every pitch thrown. There’s also a significant downgrade at catcher if he goes down with an injury, with only Connor Wong and Mickey Gasper as his potential backups.
For the Red Sox to make it far, Rutschman has to be more than just a productive hitter; he must also work seamlessly with the rotation and bullpen while living up to his reputation as one of the best defensive backstops in the league.
8. Aroldis Chapman, CP
Having a closer who can slam the door shut gives clubs a huge advantage come postseason time. The Red Sox are fortunate to have arguably the best of the bunch.
While Chapman wasn’t otherworldly in 2026 like he was in 2025, he still was elite with a 1.95 ERA in 52 appearances. He’ll look to limit free passes after watching his walk rate jump from 2.2 to 4.1 BB/9 over last year. If he does that, Boston can effectively shorten games by having him available for the ninth inning. He can also single-handedly lose games, automatically making him one of the club’s most important players for the postseason.
9. Garrett Whitlock, RP
Boston’s bullpen is perhaps its biggest strength heading into the postseason, and that’s because of the Whitlock/Chapman combo at the back end. Whitlock has been an elite set-up man with a 1.75 ERA and 0.877 WHIP across 53 appearances this season.
Starters typically have shorter outings in the playoffs, so we could see the Red Sox turn to Whitlock early and often throughout October if they advance past the Wild Card Series. He’s the reliever Boston will count on to mow down the heart of an opposing lineup in a high-leverage situation. That could be the difference between a win and a loss, and that’s why Whitlock makes the top 10 over some other very important players.
10. Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
Rafaela rounds out our top 10 most important Red Sox players for the postseason, but don’t let his ranking fool you. With elite defense in center field and a bat that made a significant leap this season, he can be considered another X-factor for this club in the playoffs.
If Boston makes a deep run, there’s a good chance we’ll get at least one signature Rafaela moment. The 26-year-old has a knack for coming up big in the clutch, whether it’s with a timely extra-base hit or a mind-blowing catch in center field.
Rafaela’s glaring absence during his time on the injured list with a quad injury has highlighted his importance to this club. If he’s back to full strength in time for the playoffs, that’ll give the Red Sox a major boost.
Honorable mentions: 3B Caleb Durbin, SS Trevor Story, LF/DH Jarren Duran, RP Erik Miller, RP Tyron Guerrero, P Brayan Bello and P Jake Bennett.
They didn’t crack the top 10, but that doesn’t mean they won’t have huge roles in October.
Durbin completely changes the outlook of the offense when he’s hitting. He’s also been an elite defensive third baseman all season long.
Story has been one of Boston’s best hitters since returning from the injured list. There’s no guarantee that’ll carry over into the playoffs, but he’ll at least have to be adequate defensively as the team’s starting shortstop.
Duran had a 2026 to forget, and with Anthony in left field and Mickey Gasper likely at DH, he’ll probably spend a fair amount of time on the bench. Still, he’s the type of player who can change a game with one swing, and his speed is a huge factor.
Miller and Guerrero will have major roles at the back end of the bullpen. Bello (if he makes the roster) and Bennett will be leaned on as bulk relievers. Miller has struggled lately, Guerrero is returning from injury, Bello is unproven in the playoffs, and we haven’t seen Bennett come out of the ‘pen.
