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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

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

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