Major League Baseball's balanced schedule ensures every team plays every team while significantly reducing intra-division games. The 2026 Boston Red Sox schedule places the last home series against an AL East opponent in mid-July and features only two divisional opponents during September. Of eight September series, three are against AL West teams, two are against AL Central teams, and the final series is interleague against the Cubs. The scheduling pattern diminishes late-season divisional relevance and prompts suggestions such as guaranteeing divisional final games or reconsidering playoff formats to emphasize league-wide performance.
When Major League Baseball implemented the "balanced schedule" a few years ago, fan opinion was mostly positive. It's great that every team plays every team now. That is genuinely good for the game. However, some were a bit skeptical about the new scheduling quirks. The biggest complaint consistently being that games against your own division were essentially cut in half.
Two issues stand out to me the most for 2026. First, the last weekend home series against an AL East opponent is the third weekend of JULY! And second, the Boston Red Sox play only TWO DIVISION OPPONENTS THE ENTIRE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. What is that!? Of the team's eight series in September, three are against AL West teams, two are against AL Central teams, and the very last series of the year is interleague play against the Cubs! That is insane!
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