Playoff Picture: Royals, Athletics pad lead in AL wild card with wins
Ken Blaze / USA TODAY Sports
Every night we take a look around the league and recap pennant and wild card races in baseball.
Here's a look at how Monday's slate affected the playoff picture in the majors:
American League
- The Baltimore Orioles, who previously clinched the AL East, clinched home field advantage for the ALDS despite losing to the Yankees 5-0.
AL Central | Record | GB | Games Left |
---|---|---|---|
Tigers | 86-70 | - | 6 |
Royals | 85-71 | 1 | 6 |
- Cleveland grabbed a 4-3 win over Kansas City to start the night, as the two teams resumed a suspended game from Aug. 31.
- The Royals would take the nightcap 2-0, with Danny Duffy tossing six shutout innings in his return from a shoulder injury. It's the first time Kansas City has won 85 games in back-to-back seasons since 1979-80.
- The Tigers hold a slim, one-game lead over the Royals after dropping the series opener to the White Sox 2-0.
- The Los Angeles Angels previously clinched the AL West.
AL Wild Card | Record | GB | Games Left |
---|---|---|---|
Athletics | 86-70 | +1 | 6 |
Royals | 85-71 | - | 6 |
Mariners | 83-73 | 2 | 6 |
Indians | 82-75 | 3.5 | 6 |
Yankees | 81-75 | 4 | 6 |
- New York kept its thin playoff hopes alive as Michael Pineda and three relievers combined to one-hit Baltimore with a 5-0 win.
- Seattle failed to show up for its opener in Toronto, getting blown out 14-4, for a third straight loss. Mariners pitchers have allowed 32 runs over the last three games.
- The Athletics used a six-run first inning to add some cushion in the wild card standings with a 8-4 win over the Angels.
If the playoffs started today...
Wild Card: Royals at Athletics
Division Series: Wild Card at Angels, Tigers at Orioles
National League
- The Washington Nationals previously clinched the NL East.
NL Central | Record | GB | Games Left |
---|---|---|---|
Cardinals | 88-69 | - | 5 |
Pirates | 85-71 | 2.5 | 6 |
- Pittsburgh won their second-straight 1-0 game but remain 2 1/2-games behind St. Louis, after the Cardinals picked up an 8-0 win over the Chicago Cubs.
NL West | Record | GB | Games Left |
---|---|---|---|
Dodgers | 89-68 | - | 5 |
Giants | 85-71 | 3.5 | 6 |
- It took 13 innings, but the Giants were able to tighten the NL West race with a 5-2 victory over the Dodgers, on Monday night.
NL Wild Card | Record | GB | Games Left |
---|---|---|---|
Pirates | 85-71 | - | 6 |
Giants | 85-71 | - | 6 |
Brewers | 80-76 | 5 | 6 |
- The Brewers, who were idle on Monday, open a three-game series with the Reds on Tuesday.
If the playoffs started today...
Wild Card: Giants at Pirates
Division Series: Wild Card at Nationals, Cardinals at Dodgers