NEW YORK — A lot of things can and often do change in one day during September baseball. The Yankees lost two games in the American League Wild-Card standings over the weekend after being blown out at home by the Cleveland Indians two days in a row, but they were feeling a lot better about themselves by late Monday night.
A win over the Texas Rangers combined with the Blue Jays losing at Tampa Bay left the Yanks just a half-game behind Toronto for the second Wild-Card spot. The Yanks also pulled to within two games of the idle Boston Red Sox for the first Wild-Card spot and gained ground on the Oakland Athletics, who are fourth in the Wild-Card standings.
Meanwhile, the Chicago White Sox are close to clinching an AL Central title that was all but decided long ago. Chicago can wrap it up Tuesday night with a win in Detroit combined with the Indians losing at home to the Royals.
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Here’s a look at magic numbers plus the remaining schedules for the contenders through Monday, Sept. 21, along with playoff matchups if the postseason began on Tuesday:
AL EAST
TAMPA BAY RAYS (93-58)
Standings: First in AL East. Lead second-place Red Sox by 7 games.
Magic number to clinch AL East: 5.
Games remaining: 11 (5 home, 6 road).
Rays schedule:
Sept. 21-22: Blue Jays (2)
Sept. 24-26: Marlins (3)
Sept. 28-30: at Astros (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Yankees (3)
* * *
BOSTON RED SOX (86-65)
Standings: Second in AL East. Trail first-place Rays by 7 games. Lead Blue Jays by 1.5 games for first AL Wild Card, lead Yankees by 2 games for second AL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 10.
Remaining games: 11 (5 home, 6 road).
Red Sox schedule:
Sept. 21-22: Mets (2)
Sept. 24-26: Yankees (3)
Sept. 28-30: at Orioles (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Nationals (3)
* * *
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (84-66)
Standings: Third in AL East. Trail first-place Rays by 9 games. Lead Yankees by 0.5 games for second AL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 12.
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Blue Jays schedule:
Sept. 21-22: at Rays (2)
Sept. 23-26: at Twins (4)
Sept. 28-30: Yankees (3)
Oct. 1-3: Orioles (3)
* * *
NEW YORK YANKEES (84-67)
Standings: Fourth in AL East. Trail first-place Rays by 9 games. Trail Blue Jays by 0.5 games for second AL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 13.
Remaining games: 11 (5 home, 6 road).
Yankees schedule:
Sept. 21-22: Rangers (2)
Sept. 24-26: at Red Sox (3)
Sept. 28-30: at Blue Jays (3)
Oct. 1-3: Rays (3)
* * *
AL CENTRAL
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (85-65)
Standings: First in AL Central. Lead second-place Indians by 11.5 games.
Magic number to clinch AL Central: 2.
Remaining games: 12 (5 home, 7 road).
White Sox schedule:
Sept. 21-22: at Tigers (2)
Sept. 23-26: at Indians (5)
Sept. 28-29: Reds (2)
Oct. 1-3: Tigers (3)
* * *
CLEVELAND INDIANS (73-76)
Standings: Second in AL Central. Trail first-place White Sox by 11.5 games.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 25.
Remaining games: 13 (7 home, 6 road).
Indians schedule:
Sept. 21-22: Royals (2)
Sept. 23-26: White Sox (5)
Sept. 28-30: at Royals (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Rangers (3)
* * *
AL WEST
HOUSTON ASTROS (89-61)
Standings: First in AL West. Lead second-place Athletics by 7 games.
Magic number to clinch AL West: 6.
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Astros schedule:
Sept. 21-23: at Angels (3)
Sept. 24-26: at Athletics (3)
Sept. 28-30: Rays (3)
Oct. 1-3: Athletics (3)
* * *
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (82-68)
Standings: Second in AL West. Trail first-place Astros by 7 games. Trail Blue Jays by 2 games for second AL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 15.
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Athletics schedule:
Sept. 21-23: Mariners (3)
Sept. 24-26: Astros (3)
Sept. 27-29: at Mariners (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Astros (3)
* * *
SEATTLE MARINERS (81-69)
Standings: Third in AL West. Trail first-place Astros by 8 games. Trail Blue Jays by 3 games for second AL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 16.
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Mariners schedule:
Sept. 21-23: at Athletics (3)
Sept. 24-26: at Angels (3)
Sept. 27-29: Athletics (3)
Oct. 1-3: Angels (3)
* * *
NL EAST
ATLANTA BRAVES (78-70)
Standings: First in NL East. Lead second-place Phillies by 3 games.
Magic number to clinch NL East: 11.
Remaining games: 14 (7 home, 7 road).
Braves schedule:
Sept. 21-23: at Diamondbacks (3)
Sept. 24-26: at Padres (4)
Sept. 28-30: Phillies (3)
Oct. 1-3: Mets (3)
Oct. 4: Rockies (1), if necessary
* * *
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (76-74)
Standings: Second in NL East. Trail first-place Braves by 3 games. Trail Cardinals by 5 games for second NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 17.
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Phillies schedule:
Sept. 21-22: Orioles (2)
Sept. 23-26: Pirates (4)
Sept. 28-30: at Braves (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Marlins (3)
* * *
NEW YORK METS (73-77)
Standings: Third in NL East. Trail first-place Braves by 6 games. Trail Cardinals by 7.5 games for second NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 20.
Remaining games: 12 (4 home, 8 road).
Mets schedule:
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 (91-59)
Standings: First in NL Central. Lead second-place Cardinals by 10.5 games.
Magic number to clinch NL Central: 3.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched on Sept. 18.
Remaining games: 11 (6 home, 5 road).
Brewers schedule:
Sept. 21-23: Cardinals (3)
Sept. 24-26: Mets (3)
Sept. 28-30: at Cardinals (3)
Oct. 1-3: at Dodgers (3)
* * *
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (80-69)
Standings: Second in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 10.5 games. Lead Reds by 3.5 games for second NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 10.
Remaining games: 13 (6 home, 7 road).
Cardinals schedule:
Sept. 21-23: at Brewers (3)
Sept. 24-26: at Cubs (4)
Sept. 28-30: Brewers (3)
Oct. 1-3: Cubs (3)
* * *
CINCINNATI REDS (78-53)
Standings: Third in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 13.5 games; Trail Cardinals by 3 games for second NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 16.
Remaining games: 11 (6 home, 5 road).
Reds schedule:
Sept. 21-22: Pirates (2)
Sept. 23-26: Nationals (4)
Sept. 28-29: at White Sox (2)
Oct. 1-3: at Pirates (3)
* * *
NL WEST
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (97-53)
Standings: First in NL West. Lead second-place Dodgers by 1 game.
Magic number to clinch NL West: 12.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched on Sept. 13.
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Giants schedule:
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 (96-54)
Standings: Second in NL West. Trail first-place Giants by 1 games. Lead Cardinals by 16 games for first NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch NL West: 14.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched on Sept. 14.
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Dodgers schedule:
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 (76-73)
Standings: Third in NL West. Trail first-place Giants by 20.5 games. Trail Cardinals by 4 games for second NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 18.
Remaining games: 13 (7 home, 6 road).
Padres schedule:
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: Toronto Blue Jays (5) at Boston Red Sox (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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