AL WC Race

[Frayed Knot]

Been paying so much attention to our (fading) chances in the NL race that it's easy to lose track of the fact that there's a fun, if somewhat simpler, 3-for-2 race in the AL.



Conceding tonight's game to Cleveland a few minutes early (10-1, top 9) this will put them in an exact tie with TBR for the 2nd WC slot, both teams sitting 2.0 games behind WC leader Oakland



OAK (94-62): 2 @ LAA; 4 @ SEA

TBR (92-64): 1 vs Red Sox; 2 vs NYY; 3 @ TOR

CLE (92-64): 3 @ CHW; 3 @ WAS

Seems like play-in games just to get to the WC play-in game is quite possible (if not likely) in either or both leagues.



The other AL race is for overall best record and therefore the right to meet the WC survivor in the 1st round of games.

The Yanx (102-55) & Astros (102-54) are in a near dead heat with Houston, by way of their 4-3 in-season record, holding the main tie-breaker.

Minnesota is locked into the #3 seed so would meet whoever 'loses' this race, although given their history vs the Yanx (particularly October history),

I'm not sure they wouldn't prefer the supposedly "better" team if it's the Astros.

[Chad ochoseis]

Indians also 4 games behind the Twins, and both have 6 to play. So they still have some hope of winning the AL Central outright. The Twins haven't quite clinched a playoff spot, though the Indians, Rays, and A's would all need to go on tears to knock them out.