The Boston Red Sox can feel it—that sense of panic when the grip on the season started slipping. With just a handful of days left, Boston is barely hanging on to the final American League Wild Card spot. Every game feels like a playoff game right now, and Fenway Park has turned into a cooker with the latest developments.

This is far from what Boston fans were hoping for. Just a month ago, the Red Sox had a six-game cushion over a playoff spot. But not that the margin is super thin, and Guardians are the ones who sliced right through it.

At the center of it is Jose Ramirez, who reminded everyone why he is one of the game’s best complete players. His first-inning line drive blast to right field marked his 30th homer of the season. With this, he became the first player in franchise history to get three 30-3 seasons. Add this to his 40 stolen bases, and he joined Soriano as the only players to put together multiple seasons of 30-plus homers, 30-plus doubles, and 40-plus steals. And his outing is making Boston sweat.

Guardians have won nine straight games, and the Tigers have lost five straight. Guardians trail the Tigers by just 1.5 games in the AL Central and trail the Astros and Red Sox by just one game for an AL Wild Card spot. So simply put, the Guardians are charging forward, and the Sox are now in survival mode. All this comes right after the Red Sox had a great run against the Tampa Bay Rays. Not to mention that Alex Bregman even subtly warned the rivals about the Sox and their momentum now. Well, this must be a gut punch for them.

Also, what’s alarming is that the Guardians didn’t just have Ramirez get hot. Bo Naylor, for example, launched two homers, and George Valera and Daniel Schneemann added long balls of their own. So things are not stacking well for Boston, and if the Guardians keep winning, Boston’s October dreams could vanish into thin air. And it doesn’t help that Alex Bregman might indeed be out of Boston sooner than expected.

Boston Red Sox fans uneasy after Boras’ Alex Bregman’s comment

Alex Bregman came from Houston and made himself feel at home, and feels like a true Bostonian. Since he signed the three-year $120 million deal, the third baseman simply embraced the city. He even rocked the Wally the Green Monster gear and teamed up with Sam Adams and even declared how he and his wife simply loved Boston. It honestly looked like he was here for the long haul. But well, now the future seems less certain.

Bregman’s contract has opt-outs, and he has had a good season, which means that teams will surely be lining up to fight for him. Scott Boras, who is the super agent, made that very clear in a recent chat with WEEI’s Rob Bradford: “We’re at the point now where you wait until the offseason and see what transpires. Obviously, I think he’s very open about it. He has enjoyed it there. The team has more defined promise than it did a year ago. With free agency, you have to see how things go.”

That’s Boras; he is one who never gives in easily. He is the one who manages stars and gets them expensive contracts. So one can expect the bidding war to begin. Now, just days earlier, Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy delivered a sunny message saying that both Bregman and the team wanted a long-term relationship. But Boras’s comment is screaming, “Don’t get comfortable.” And Boston honestly can’t afford to, given they traded Rafael Devers, so they don’t have a Plan B at third base. Do you think Bregman will stay in Boston, or will the Boston Red Sox have some sleepless nights to be prepared for?