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 (81-67)
Where they stand: Tied with Rays for first/second wild card
Yesterday: Lost to A’s, 5-1, letting up three homers
Today: at Rays, 7:10 p.m., Cobb (8-3) vs. Garza (3-4)
Games remaining: 14 (at TB – 4; at KC – 3; vs. HOU – 3; vs. LAA – 4)
Percentage chance to make playoffs: 56.6
Skinny: A three-game sweep by the A’s all buried the sputtering Rangers’ AL West ambitions (they’re 6.5 games back), and makes for a crucial four-game series in St. Petersburg.
2. Rays (81-67)
Where they stand: Tied with Rangers for first/second wild card
Yesterday: Lost to Twins, 6-4, after blowing a 4-2 eighth-inning lead
Today: vs. Rangers, 7:10 p.m., Cobb (8-3) vs. Garza (3-4)
Games remaining: 14 (vs. TEX – 4; vs. BAL – 4; at Yankees – 3; at TOR – 3)
Percentage chance to make playoffs: 53.0
Skinny: Alex Cobb has exceeded six innings just once in six starts since returning from the DL – the Rays are 2-4 in those games – as he faces former Tampa Bay right-hander Matt Garza in the series opener.
3. Indians (81-68)
Where they stand: Half-game out of wild card
Yesterday: Beat White Sox, 7-1, tagging Chris Sale for six runs after lengthy rain delay
Today: at Royals, 8:10 p.m., Shields (11-9) vs. Kazmir (8-8)
Games remaining: 13 (KC – 3; vs. HOU – 4; vs. CWS – 2; at MIN – 4)
Percentage chance to make playoffs: 69.9
Skinny: After getting through three games against the Royals, the Indians finish with 10 against the league’s dregs – hence the elevated playoff odds – and showed they can take care of business against downtrodden clubs by finishing a four-game sweep of the White Sox on Sunday.
4. Orioles (79-70)
Where they stand: 2.5 games out for the second wild card
Yesterday: Beat Blue Jays, 3-1, with 3 2/3 shutout innings from bullpen
Today: Off
Games remaining: 13 (at BOS – 3; at TB – 4; vs. TOR – 3; vs. BOS – 3)
Percentage chance to make playoffs: 5.9
Skinny: Leapfrogged the Yankees in the standings, but the red-hot Red Sox await. O’s slugger Chris Davis has cooled down the stretch, with three homers and a line of .232 AVG/.317 OBP/.446 SLG in September.
5. Yankees (79-71)
Where they stand: Three games out of wild card
Last night: Lost to Red Sox, 9-2, as six relievers followed an ineffective Ivan Nova
Today: Off
Games remaining: 12 (at TOR – 3; vs. SF – 3; vs. TB – 3; at HOU – 3)
Percentage chance to make playoffs: 6.5
Skinny: The Yankees’ last trip of the year to the house of horrors known as Fenway Park resulted in three humbling losses, but the schedule lightens considerably from here on out.
6. Royals (78-71)
Where they stand: 3.5 games out for the second wild card
Yesterday: Lost to Tigers, 3-2, as Jeremy Guthrie let up 13 hits in a complete-game loss
Today: vs. Indians, 8:10 p.m., Shields (11-9) vs. Kazmir (8-8)
Games remaining: 13 (vs. CLE – 3; vs. TEX – 3; at SEA – 3; at CWS – 4)
Percentage chance to make playoffs: 8.1
Skinny: Having staff leader James Shields lined up for the start of a season-swinging series against the Indians is a plus, but the Royals have not been a strong home team, with a 40-35 record and negative run differential at Kauffman Stadium.
Playoff chances according to Coolstandings.com, based on millions of simulations of the remaining schedule.