The MLB playoff push is our daily look back and ahead at the post-season picture as teams position themselves for October.
Latest on Blue Jays: A pair of home runs in the eighth and ninth innings were the difference on Wednesday night as the Baltimore Orioles earned a late 3-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
The loss means that the Blue Jays now hold a one-game lead for the first wild-card spot in the American League. To make matters worse for Toronto, the Detroit Tigers defeated the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday, moving to within two games of the Jays.
The Blue Jays’ magic number still stands at three, but they can take a stranglehold of the top wild-card spot with a victory over the Orioles on Thursday night, combined with a Tigers loss to the Indians in their series finale.
Another slip-up by Toronto on Thursday could blow the doors open on the wild-card race.
If the playoffs started today…
Wild Card
Blue Jays vs. Orioles
ALDS
Rangers vs. Blue Jays or Orioles
Red Sox vs. Indians
Toronto Blue Jays
Next up: Baltimore Orioles
Pitching: Marcus Stroman vs. Ubaldo Jimenez
Texas Rangers
Next up: Tampa Bay Rays (Friday)
Pitching: Yu Darvish vs. Matt Andriese
Boston Red Sox
Next up: New York Yankees
Pitching: Henry Owens vs. CC Sabathia
Cleveland Indians
Next up: Detroit Tigers
Pitching: Ryan Merritt vs. Daniel Norris
Seattle Mariners
Next up: Oakland Athletics
Pitching: Ariel Miranda vs. Kendall Graveman
If the playoffs started today…
Wild Card
Mets vs. Giants
NLDS
Cubs vs. Mets or Giants
Nationals vs. Dodgers
Chicago Cubs
Next up: Pittsburgh Pirates
Pitching: Rob Zastryzny vs. Ivan Nova
Washington Nationals
Next up: Arizona Diamondbacks
Pitching: Joe Ross vs. Robbie Ray
Los Angeles Dodgers
Next up: San Diego Padres
Pitching: Julio Urias vs. Christian Friedrich
New York Mets
Next up: Philadelphia Phillies (Friday)
Pitching: Robert Gsellman vs. Alec Asher
San Francisco Giants
Next up: Colorado Rockies
Pitching: Johnny Cueto vs. Jon Gray
St. Louis Cardinals
Next up: Cincinnati Reds
Pitching: Alex Reyes vs. Dan Straily