BALTIMORE — With 2 ½ weeks to go in the season, the three American League East playoff contenders who won’t catch the first-place Tampa Bay Rays are in a neck-and-neck-neck fight to two Wild-Card berths.
In the Wild-Card standings through games played on Thursday, Sept. 16, the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox were tied for the two spots with the Yankees one-half game back.
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Three of the six division titles figure to be wrapped up in the next few days, the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central, the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central and the Rays in the AL East.
Here’s a look at magic numbers plus the remaining schedules for the contenders:
AL EAST
TAMPA BAY RAYS (91-56)
Standings: First in AL East. Lead second-place Red Sox and Blue Jays by 8.5 games.
Magic number to clinch AL East: 8.
Games remaining: 15 (9 home, 6 road).
Rays schedule:
Sept. 17-19: Tigers (3)
Sept. 20-22: Blue Jays (3)
Sept. 24-26: Marlins (3)
Sept. 28-30: at Astros (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Yankees (3)
* * *
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (82-64)
Standings: Tied with Red Sox for second in AL East. Trail first-place Rays by 8.5 games. Tied with Red Sox for first and second AL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 17.
Remaining games: 16 (9 home, 7 road).
Blue Jays schedule:
Sept. 17-19: Twins (3)
Sept. 20-22: at Rays (3)
Sept. 23-26: at Twins (4)
Sept. 28-30: Yankees (3)
Oct. 1-3: Orioles (3)
* * *
BOSTON RED SOX (83-65)
Standings: Tied for second with Blue Jays in AL East. Trail first-place Rays by 8.5 games. Tied with Blue Jays for first and second AL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 15.
Remaining games: 14 (8 home, 6 road).
Red Sox schedule:
Sept. 17-19: Orioles (3)
Sept. 21-22: Mets (2)
Sept. 24-26: Yankees (3)
Sept. 28-30: at Orioles (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Nationals (3)
* * *
NEW YORK YANKEES (82-65)
Standings: Fourth in AL East. Trail first-place Rays by 9 games. Trail Blue Jays and Red Sox by 0.5 games for first and second AL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 17.
Remaining games: 15 (9 home, 6 road).
Yankees schedule:
Sept. 17-19: Indians (3)
Sept. 20-22: Rangers (3)
Sept. 24-26: at Red Sox (3)
Sept. 28-30: at Blue Jays (3)
Oct. 1-3: Rays (3)
* * *
AL CENTRAL
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (83-63)
Standings: First in AL Central. Lead second-place Indians by 11 games.
Magic number to clinch AL Central: 7.
Remaining games: 16 (5 home, 11 road).
White Sox schedule:
Sept. 17-19: at Rangers (3)
Sept. 20-22: at Tigers (3)
Sept. 23-26: at Indians (5)
Sept. 28-29: Reds (2)
Oct. 1-3: Tigers (3)
* * *
CLEVELAND INDIANS (71-73)
Standings: Second in AL Central. Trail first-place White Sox by 11 games.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 28.
Remaining games: 18 (9 home, 9 road).
Indians schedule:
Sept. 17-19: at Yankees (3)
Sept. 20-22: Royals (4)
Sept. 23-26: White Sox (5)
Sept. 28-30: at Royals (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Rangers (3)
* * *
AL WEST
HOUSTON ASTROS (86-60)
Standings: First in AL West. Lead second-place Athletics by 7 games.
Magic number to clinch AL West: 10.
Remaining games: 16 (9 home, 7 road).
Astros schedule:
Sept. 17-19: Diamondbacks (3)
Sept. 20-23: at Angels (4)
Sept. 24-26: at Athletics (3)
Sept. 28-30: Rays (3)
Oct. 1-3: Athletics (3)
* * *
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (79-67)
Standings: Second in AL West. Trail first-place Astros by 7 games. Trail Red Sox and Blue Jays by 3 games for first and second AL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 20.
Remaining games: 16 (7 home, 9 road).
Athletics schedule:
Sept. 17-19: at Angels (3)
Sept. 20-23: Mariners (4)
Sept. 24-26: Astros (3)
Sept. 27-29: at Mariners (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Astros (3)
* * *
SEATTLE MARINERS (78-68)
Standings: Third in AL West. Trail first-place Astros by 8 games. Trail Red Sox and Blue Jays by 4 games for first and second AL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 21.
Remaining games: 16 (6 home, 10 road).
Mariners schedule:
Sept. 17-19: at Royals (3)
Sept. 20-23: at Athletics (4)
Sept. 24-26: at Angels (3)
Sept. 27-29: Athletics (3)
Oct. 1-3: Angels (3)
NL EAST
ATLANTA BRAVES (76-68)
Standings: First in NL East. Lead second-place Phillies by 3 games.
Magic number to clinch NL East: 5.
Remaining games: 18 (7 home, 11 road).
Braves schedule:
Sept. 17-19: at Giants (3)
Sept. 20-23: at Diamondbacks (4)
Sept. 24-26: at Padres (4)
Sept. 28-30: Phillies (3)
Oct. 1-3: Mets (3)
Oct. 4: Rockies (1), if necessary
* * *
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (74-72)
Standings: Second in NL East. Trail first-place Braves by 3 games. Trail Cardinals by 2.5 games for second NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 20.
Remaining games: 16 (7 home, 9 road).
Phillies schedule:
Sept. 17-19: at Mets (3)
Sept. 20-22: Orioles (3)
Sept. 23-26: Pirates (4)
Sept. 28-30: at Braves (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Marlins (3)
* * *
NEW YORK METS (72-75)
Standings: Third in NL East. Trail first-place Braves by 5.5 games. Trail Cardinals by 5 games for second NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 22.
Remaining games: 15 (7 home, 8 road).
Mets schedule:
Sept. 17-19: Phillies (3)
Sept. 21-22: at Red Sox (2)
Sept. 24-26: at Brewers (3)
Sept. 28-30: Marlins (4)
Oct. 1-3: at Braves (3)
* * *
NL CENTRAL
MILWAUKEE BREWERS (89-57)
Standings: First in NL Central. Lead second-place Cardinals by 12.5 games.
Magic number to clinch NL Central: 5.
Remaining games: 15 (10 home, 5 road).
Brewers schedule:
Sept. 17-19: Cubs (3)
Sept. 20-23: Cardinals (4)
Sept. 24-26: Mets (3)
Sept. 28-30: at Cardinals (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Dodgers (3)
* * *
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (76-69)
Standings: Second in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 12.5 games. Lead Padres by 0.5 games for second NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 17.
Remaining games: 17 (9 home, 8 road).
Cardinals schedule:
Sept. 17-19: Padres (3)
Sept. 20-23: at Brewers (4)
Sept. 24-26: at Cubs (4)
Sept. 28-30: Brewers (3)
Oct. 1-3: Cubs (3)
* * *
CINCINNATI REDS (76-51)
Standings: Third in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 13.5 games; Trail Cardinals by 1 game for second NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 18.
Remaining games: 15 (10 home, 5 road).
Reds schedule:
Sept. 17-19: Dodgers (3)
Sept. 20-22: Pirates (3)
Sept. 23-26: Nationals (4)
Sept. 28-29: at White Sox (2)
Oct. 1-3: at Pirates (3)
* * *
NL WEST
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (95-52)
Standings: First in NL West. Lead second-place Dodgers by 1 game.
Magic number to clinch NL West: 15.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched on Sept. 13.
Remaining games: 15 (9 home, 6 road).
Giants schedule:
Sept. 17-19: Braves (3)
Sept. 21-23: at Padres (3)
Sept. 24-26: at Rockies (3)
Sept. 28-30: Diamondbacks (3)
Oct. 1-3: Padres (3)
* * *
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (94-53)
Standings: Second in NL West. Trail first-place Giants by 1 game. Lead Cardinals by 17 games for first NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched on Sept. 14.
Remaining games: 15 (6 home, 9 road).
Dodgers schedule:
Sept. 17-19: at Reds (3)
Sept. 21-23: at Rockies (3)
Sept. 24-26: at Diamondbacks (3)
Sept. 28-30: Padres (3)
Oct. 1-3: Brewers (3)
* * *
SAN DIEGO PADRES (76-70)
Standings: Third in NL West. Trail first-place Giants by 18.5 games. Trail Cardinals by 0.5 games for second NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 17.
Remaining games: 16 (7 home, 9 road).
Padres schedule:
Sept. 17-19: at Cardinals (3)
Sept. 21-23: Giants (3)
Sept. 24-26: Braves (4)
Sept. 28-30: at Dodgers (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Giants (3)
CURRENT POSTSEASON MATCHUPS
AL Wild Card Game: Boston Red Sox (5) at Toronto Blue Jays (4).
NL Wild Card Game: St. Louis Cardinals (5) at Los Angeles Dodgers (4).
AL DIVISION SERIES
Tampa Bay Rays (1) vs. Boston Red Sox (5) or Toronto Blue Jays (4).
Houston Astros (2) vs. Chicago White Sox (3).
NL DIVISION SERIES
San Francisco Giants (1) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (4) or St. Louis Cardinals (5).
Milwaukee Brewers (2) vs. Atlanta Braves (3).
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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.
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