Playoff Picture: Both Central titles up for grabs on final day of regular season
Rick Osentoski / USA TODAY Sports
The stage is set for a dramatic finish to the 2014 MLB regular season on Sunday.
Here's a look at the playoff picture after 161 games:
American League
- The Orioles previously clinched the AL East.
AL Central | Record | GB |
---|---|---|
Tigers | 89-72 | - |
Royals | 88-73 | 1 |
- The Tigers and Royals both suffered losses, so the quest for the division title will go down to the wire. The Tigers will send David Price to the hill Sunday vs. the Twins while Yordano Ventura gets the call for the Royals vs. the White Sox. If the Tigers lose and the Royals win, a one-game tiebreaker will be played in Detroit on Monday.
*Probable starters subject to change*
- The Angels previously clinched the AL West and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
AL Wild Card | Record | GB |
---|---|---|
Royals | 88-73 | 1 |
Athletics | 87-74 | - |
Mariners | 86-75 | 1 |
- Austin Jackson beat out a double play to allow the winning run to plate in the 11th inning as the Mariners scratched out a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels to remain alive in the wild-card chase. Staff ace Felix Hernandez gets the ball in the finale Sunday.
- The Athletics could have clinched with a win or a Mariners loss, but they fell 5-4 to the Rangers and then had their hearts broken later in the evening by virtue of the Mariners' walk-off win. Oakland's magic number remains at one with Sonny Gray taking the mound Sunday vs. the Rangers.
- If the A's lose Sunday and the Mariners are victorious, Seattle would host a wild-card tiebreaker Monday.
If the playoffs started today...
Wild Card: Athletics at Royals
Division Series: Wild Card at Angels, Tigers at Orioles
National League
- The Nationals previously clinched the NL East and home-field advantage through the NLCS.
NL Central | Record | GB |
---|---|---|
Cardinals | 89-72 | - |
Pirates | 88-73 | 1 |
- The Cardinals and Pirates both dropped their respective games to set up a situation identical to the AL Central. Gerrit Cole is scheduled to get the ball for the Pirates on Sunday vs. Johnny Cueto and the Reds, while the Cardinals plan to roll out ace Adam Wainwright vs. the Diamondbacks. If the Pirates win and the Cardinals lose, the one-game tiebreaker will be played in St. Louis on Monday.
*Probable starters subject to change*
- The Dodgers previously clinched the NL West.
NL Wild Card | Record | GB |
---|---|---|
Pirates | 88-73 | - |
Giants | 87-74 | 1 |
- The Giants can't move up to the first wild-card spot (via tiebreaker even with a win Sunday) and will either be on the road in Pittsburgh or St. Louis for the play-in game on Wednesday.
If the playoffs started today...
Wild Card: Giants at Pirates
Division Series: Wild Card at Nationals, Cardinals at Dodgers