MLB Playoff Push: Blue Jays can’t shake Royals in AL race

Barry Davis previews Saturday's matchup between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

The MLB playoff push is our daily look back and ahead at the post-season picture as teams position themselves for a World Series run.


Latest on the Blue Jays: Left-hander Mark Buehrle inched closer to the 200-innings mark as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Rays, 8-4, on Friday night in Tampa Bay.

Meanwhile, the Kansas City Royals kept pace in the race for the American League’s top spot, besting the Twins 3-1 on Friday.

The Royals own the same record as the Blue Jays, however Toronto holds the tiebreaker. With two games remaining for each club, there will be some tense scoreboard-watching on Saturday and Sunday as they fight to secure the grand prize of home-field advantage in the playoffs.

The Blue Jays send Marco Estrada to the hill Saturday evening against Rays ace Chris Archer. Yordano Ventura takes the mound for the Royals against Tommy Milone of the Minnesota Twins.

Al Standings

*Note: Blue Jays atop American League due to head-to-head tiebreaker.

If the playoffs started today…

Wild Card
New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros

ALDS
Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees OR Houston Astros
Kansas City Royals vs. Texas Rangers


Toronto Blue Jays
Last night:  Tulowitzki returns with 2 hits, Blue Jays rally past Rays
Next up: Game 2 vs. Rays
Pitching matchups: Marco Estrada vs. Chris Archer

Kansas City Royals
Last night: Royals beat Twins to keep pace with Blue Jays atop AL
Next up: Game 2 vs. Twins
Pitching matchup: Yordano Ventura vs. Tommy Milone

Texas Rangers
Last night: Wild-card chasing Angels stop Rangers from clinching AL West
Next up: Game 3 vs. Angels
Pitching matchup: Hector Santiago vs. Colby Lewis

New York Yankees
Last night: Postponed (rain)
Next up: Games 1, 2 vs. Orioles
Pitching matchup: Ivan Nova vs. Wei-Yin Chen; Luis Severino vs. Ubaldo Jimenez

Houston Astros
Last night: Keuchel wins 20th, Astros set runs record to hold edge over Angels
Next up: Game 2 vs. Diamondbacks
Pitching matchup: Collin McHugh vs. Jeremy Hellickson

Los Angeles Angels
Last night: Wild-card chasing Angels stop Rangers from clinching AL West
Next up: Game 3 vs. Rangers
Pitching matchup: Hector Santiago vs. Colby Lewis

Minnesota Twins
Last night: Royals beat Twins to keep pace with Blue Jays atop AL
Next up: Game 2 vs. Royals
Pitching matchup: Yordano Ventura vs. Tommy Milone


NL Standings

If the playoffs started today…

Wild Card
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs

NLDS
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates OR Chicago Cubs
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets


St. Louis Cardinals
Last night: Teheran pitches 6 strong innings, Castro has 2 RBIs as Braves blank Cardinals 4-0
Next up: Game 2 vs. Braves
Pitching matchup: John Lackey vs. Shelby Miller

New York Mets
Last night: Postponed (rain)
Next up: Games 1, 2 vs. Nationals
Pitching matchup: Gio Gonzalez vs. Noah Syndergaard; Max Scherzer vs. Matt Harvey

Los Angeles Dodgers
Last night: Dodgers beat Padres to gain half-game on Mets for home field
Next up: Game 2 vs. Padres
Pitching matchup: Robbie Erlin vs. Zack Greinke

Pittsburgh Pirates
Last night: Starling Marte homers in 12th, Pirates beat Reds 6-4 to close in on wild-card home field
Next up: Game 2 vs. Reds
Pitching matchup: Brandon Finnegan vs. A. J. Burnett

Chicago Cubs
Last night: Arrieta bolsters Cy Young case with another stellar outing
Next up: Game 2 vs. Brewers
Pitching matchup: Kyle Hendricks vs. Tyler Wagner

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