Red Sox made 2025 playoffs despite being doubted, though media saw them as contenders all along.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora claimed no one expected the team to make the playoffs in 2025, despite widespread preseason projections that consistently ranked them as contenders. Multiple major outlets had the Red Sox as serious playoff hopefuls, especially after key offseason moves. The team overcame a rough start and a midseason trade of a star hitter to secure a Wild Card spot, ending a four-year postseason drought. Cora’s assertion of widespread doubt appeared inconsistent with the media's consistent optimism, leading to criticism that his comments were more motivational than factual. The team’s late-season surge and Cora’s postgame narrative reflect a common sports trope, using perceived skepticism as inspiration, even when evidence suggests the opposite.