It’s coming down to the wire, and six teams remain very much alive in the chase for the two spots in the one-game American League wild-card playoff. Check here every morning for the standings, schedule and scoop on the jam-packed AL wild-card race:
1. Rangers (81-64)
Where they stand: Two games up for first wild-card spot, three games up for playoff spot
Yesterday: Off
Today: vs. A’s, 8:05 p.m., Holland (9-8) vs. Straily (9-7) Games remaining: 17 (vs. OAK — 3; at TB — 4; at KC — 3; vs. HOU — 3; vs. LAA — 4) Percentage chance to make playoffs: 78.7
Skinny: After sitting idle Thursday, the Rangers are now closer to slipping out of the playoffs altogether than they are to the AL West-leading A’s (3.5 back). In the lefty Derek Holland and Yu Darvish, they open the crucial weekend series with their two best starters.
2. Rays (79-66)
Where they stand: One game up on Yankees for second wild-card berth Last night: Beat Red Sox, 4-3, as rookie Wil Myers knocked in two runs
Today: at Twins, 8:10 p.m., Correia (9-11) vs. Archer (8-7) Games remaining: 17 (at MIN — 3; vs. TEX — 4; vs. BAL — 4; at Yankees — 3; at TOR — 3) Percentage chance to make playoffs: 45.2
Skinny: The Rays stayed a step ahead of the Yankees with a sweep-averting win over Boston. That they managed it with just six hits again indicates offense is at a premium with this club.
3. Yankees (79-68)
Where they stand: One game back of Rays for second spot, half-game up on Indians Last night: Beat Orioles, 6-5, scoring the winning run in the 9th on a wild pitch
Today: at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m., Lackey (9-12) vs. Kuroda (11-10) Games remaining: 15 (at BOS — 3; at TOR — 3; vs. SF — 3; vs. TB — 3; at HOU — 3) Percentage chance to make playoffs: 22.9
Skinny: The Yankees ship up to Boston with their bullpen coming apart at the seams — David Robertson was so ineffective Thursday, the official scorer judged he did not deserve the win, though he was the pitcher of record — and valuable cog Brett Gardner headed to the MRI tube to examine an ominous strained oblique.
4. Indians (78-68)
Where they stand: 1.5 games out for the second wild card Last night: Hammered White Sox, 14-3, with four-run 1st and seven-run 5th
Today: at White Sox, 2:10 p.m., Santiago (4-8) vs. Salazar (1-2) Games remaining: 16 (at CWS — 3; at KC — 3; vs. HOU — 4; vs. CWS — 2; at MIN — 4) Percentage chance to make playoffs: 35.4
Skinny: For their latest chance to get fat on the last-place Pale Hose, the Indians give Danny Salazar his eighth big league start. Through 37 innings, the 23-year-old right-hander has a 2.92 ERA and 45 strikeouts.
5. Royals (77-69)
Where they stand: 2.5 games out for the second wild card
Yesterday: Off
Today: at Tigers, 7:08 p.m., Verlander (12-11) vs. Duffy (2-0) Games remaining: 16 (at DET — 3; vs. CLE — 3; vs. TEX — 3; at SEA — 3; at CWS — 4) Percentage chance to make playoffs: 12.9
Skinny: In five starts against the hanging-around Royals this season, Justin Verlander is 0-3.
6. Orioles (77-69)
Where they stand: 2.5 games out for the second wild card Last night: Lost to Yankees, 6-5
Today: at Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m., Redmond (3-2) vs. Hammel (7-8) Games remaining: 16 (at TOR — 3; at BOS — 3; at TB — 4; vs. TOR — 3; vs. BOS — 3) Percentage chance to make playoffs: 5.3
Skinny: Another devastating setback for the Birds, whose playoff chances were at 17.5 percent before three straight home losses to the Yankees.
Playoff chances according to Coolstandings.com, based on millions of simulations of the remaining schedule.