Just when you think you’ve seen it all in baseball, there’s never been anything like the drama that could go down on Sunday, the final day of the regular season.
Four teams separated by one game in the standings are vying for two American League Wild-Card berths, and while the Yankees and Boston Red Sox can clinch with victories, there’s still a possibility of this ending up as a four-team tie that would require tiebreaker games on Monday.
Through Saturday’s games, the Red Sox and Yankees were tied for the two Wild Card spots with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners just one game back. Losses by the Yankees and Red Sox on Sunday combined with wins by the Jays and Mariners would create the four-team tie.
The National League West crown also still isn’t settled. Heading into Sunday, the San Francisco Giants are up one game on the Los Angeles Dodgers, who gained a game on Saturday. If the teams finish in a tie, they’ll play a tiebreaker on Monday with the winner claiming the division title and the loser hosting the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Wild Card Game on Wednesday.
The AL Wild Card Game is scheduled for Tuesday night, but could be pushed back due to tiebreakers. If the Yankees and Red Sox win on Sunday to clinch, they would play Tuesday night in Boston. The Red Sox would host the game because they won the season series against the Yankees 10-9.
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Here’s a look at magic numbers plus the remaining schedules for the contenders through Saturday, Oct. 2, along with playoff matchups if the postseason began on Sunday:
AL EAST
TAMPA BAY RAYS (100-61)
Standings: First in AL East. Lead second-place Red Sox and Yankees by 9 games.
Magic number to clinch AL East: Clinched on Sept. 25.
Rays schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: at Yankees. 3:05 p.m., EST
* * *
BOSTON RED SOX (91-70)
Standings: Tied with Yankees for second in AL East. Tied with Yankees for first and second AL Wild Cards; Lead Blue Jays and Mariners by 1 game for first and second AL Wild Cards.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 1.
Red Sox schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: at Nationals., 3:05 p.m., EST
* * *
NEW YORK YANKEES (91-70)
Standings: Tied with Red Sox for second in AL East. Tied with Red Sox for first and second AL Wild Cards; Lead Blue Jays and Mariners by 1 game for first and second AL Wild Cards.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 1.
Yankees schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: Rays, 3:05 p.m., EST
* * *
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (90-71)
Standings: Fourth in AL East. Tied with Mariners trailing Red Sox and Yankees by 1 game for first and second AL Wild Cards.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 3.
Blue Jays schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: Orioles, 3:07 p.m., EST
* * *
AL CENTRAL
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (93-68)
Standings: First in AL Central. Lead second-place Indians by 14 games.
Magic number to clinch AL Central: Clinched Sept. 23.
White Sox schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: Tigers, 3:10 p.m., EST
* * *
AL WEST
HOUSTON ASTROS (94-67)
Standings: First in AL West. Lead second-place Mariners by 4 games.
Magic number to clinch AL West: Clinched on Sept. 30.
Astros schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: Athletics, 3:10 p.m., EST
* * *
SEATTLE MARINERS (91-71)
Standings: Second in AL West. Tied with Blue Jays trailing Red Sox and Yankees by 1 game for first and second AL Wild Cards.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 3.
Mariners schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: Angels, 3:10 p.m., EST
* * *
NL EAST
ATLANTA BRAVES (87-73)
Standings: First in NL East. Lead second-place Phillies by 5.5 games.
Magic number to clinch NL East: Clinched on Sept. 30.
Braves schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: Mets, 3:20 p.m., EST
* * *
NL CENTRAL
MILWAUKEE BREWERS (95-66)
Standings: First in NL Central. Lead second-place Cardinals by 5 games.
Magic number to clinch NL Central: Clinched on Sept. 26.
Brewers schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: at Dodgers, 3:10 p.m., EST
* * *
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (90-71)
Standings: Second in NL Central. Lead Reds by 8 games for second NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched on Sept. 28.
Cardinals schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: Cubs, 3:15 p.m., EST
* * *
NL WEST
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (106-55)
Standings: First in NL West. Lead second-place Dodgers by 1 game.
Magic number to clinch NL West: 1.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched on Sept. 13.
Giants schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: Padres, 3:05 p.m., EST
* * *
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (105-56)
Standings: Second in NL West. Trail first-place Giants by 1 game. Lead Cardinals by 15 games for first NL Wild Card.
Magic number to clinch NL West: 3.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched on Sept. 14.
Dodgers schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 3: Brewers, 3:10 p.m., EST
* * *
CURRENT POSTSEASON MATCHUPS
AL Wild Card Game: New York Yankees (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 (4) or New York Yankees (5).
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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