Playoff Picture: Athletics fall to 2nd wild-card spot with late collapse vs. Rangers
Bob Stanton / 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 Wednesday's slate affected the playoff picture in the majors:
American League
- The Baltimore Orioles previously clinched the AL East.
AL Central | Record | GB | Games Left |
---|---|---|---|
Tigers | 84-68 | - | 10 |
Royals | 83-68 | 0.5 | 11 |
- The Kansas City Royals moved to within a half-game of the Central-leading Detroit Tigers with a 6-2 victory over the White Sox.
- The Tigers fell 8-4 to the Minnesota Twins to open the door for the Royals to gain ground.
- The Los Angeles Angels clinched the AL West title with a 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners combined with a 6-1 Oakland Athletics loss to the Texas Rangers.
AL Wild Card | Record | GB | Games Left |
---|---|---|---|
Royals | 83-68 | - | 11 |
Athletics | 83-68 | - | 11 |
Mariners | 81-70 | 2 | 11 |
Indians | 78-73 | 5 | 11 |
Yankees | 77-74 | 6 | 11 |
Blue Jays | 77-74 | 6 | 11 |
- The Athletics took a 1-0 lead into the ninth inning vs. the Texas Rangers, who piled on six runs in the final frame for the come-from-behind victory. The Royals now hold the first wild-card spot via tiebreaker.
- The Indians and Yankees were victorious while the Mariners and Blue Jays suffered losses.
If the postseason started today ...
Wild Card: Athletics at Royals
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 | 84-68 | - | 10 |
Pirates | 81-70 | 2.5 | 11 |
Brewers | 79-73 | 5 | 10 |
- The Cardinals rallied behind an Adam Wainwright shutout to blank the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0.
- The Pittsburgh Pirates picked up a third straight victory with a 9-1 rout of the Boston Red Sox to spoil Rusney Castillo's MLB debut.
NL West | Record | GB | Games Left |
---|---|---|---|
Dodgers | 86-66 | - | 10 |
Giants | 84-68 | 2 | 10 |
- The Los Angeles Dodgers were crushed 16-2 by the Colorado Rockies, who were led by Justin Morneau's six-RBI day.
- The Giants staged a ninth-inning rally courtesy of a Matt Duffy two-RBI single to break a 2-2 tie with the Arizona Diamondbacks and come away with a 4-2 victory.
NL Wild Card | Record | GB | Games Left |
---|---|---|---|
Giants | 84-68 | 2.5 | 10 |
Pirates | 81-70 | - | 11 |
Brewers | 79-73 | 2.5 | 10 |
Braves | 76-76 | 5.5 | 10 |
- The Brewers fall 2 1/2 games back with the loss, while the Giants and Pirates continue to hold down the two wild-card spots with victories.
- The Atlanta Braves snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-1 over the Washington Nationals, but lost Andrelton Simmons (ankle) and Jason Heyward (thumb) to injuries.
If the postseason started today ...
Wild Card: Pirates at Giants
Division Series: Wild Card at Nationals, Dodgers at Cardinals