Updated Playoff Races – 9/27 Every week, I will update you on the playoff races going on in the majors along with who those teams will face in the upcoming week. (Take note, All GB are based on loss column ONLY. I don’t believe in the ½ game stat because those are games that can be controlled by a team.)
AL East
The Yankees held a seven-game advantage over Baltimore and Tampa Bay at the start of the month. The lead is now four.
1. NY 74 – 53 — (3 vs. Tor 56 – 70, Off Day, 3 vs. Bal 69 – 57)
2. TB 70 – 57 4 (3 @ Tex 75 – 52, 4 @ Tor 56 – 70)
3. Bal 69 – 57 4 (4 vs. Chi [AL] 71 – 55, 3 @ NY [AL] 74 – 53)
AL Central
The White Sox have continued to hold off the Tigers from overtaking first place. Could it finally happen for the Tigers this weekend when the Sox come to town?
1. Chi 71 – 55 — (4 @ Bal 69 – 57, 3 @ Det 69 – 58)
2. Det 69 – 58 3 (Off Day, 3 @ KC 56 – 70, 3 vs. Chi [AL] 71 – 55)
AL West
The Angels have lost five games on the West-leading Rangers since Aug. 1, while Oakland has kept pace.
1. Tex 75 – 52 — (3 vs. TB 70 – 57, Off Day, @ Cle 55 – 72)
2. Oak 69 – 57 5 (4 @ Cle 55 – 72, 3 vs. Bos 61 – 67)
3. LA 66 – 62 10 (Off Day, 3 vs. Bos 61 – 67, 3 @ Sea 61 – 67)
NL East
Washington has only played .500 ball over the last 10 games, (5-5) but the Braves couldn’t make up any ground as they went 4-6 over that same stretch.
1. Was 77-50 — (Off Day, 2 @ Mia 58 – 71, 4 vs. StL 70 – 57)
2. Atl 73-55 5 (3 @ SD 59 – 70, Off Day, 3 vs. Phi 61 – 67)
NL Central
The Reds have started to come back to earth a bit as the surging Cardinals are trying to make the Central a race again. Meanwhile the Pirates need a spark to right the ship and have a promising schedule the rest of the way.
1. Cin 77 – 52 — (3 @ AZ 64 – 64, Off Day, 3 @ Hou 40 – 88)
2. StL 70 – 57 5 (3 @ Pit 68 – 59, 4 @ Was 77 – 50)
3. Pit 68 – 59 7 (3 vs. StL 70 – 57, Off Day, 3 @ Mil 59 – 67)
NL West
The Dodgers made a blockbuster move over the weekend by acquiring Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett from Boston. This could change the whole picture in the West and Wild Card races.
1. SF 71 – 57 — (Off Day, 3 @ Hou 40 – 88, 3 @ Chi [NL] 49 – 77)
2. LA 69 – 59 2 (3 @ Col 51 – 75, 4 vs. AZ 64 – 64)
3. AZ 64 – 64 7 (3 vs. Cin 77 – 52, 4 vs. LA [NL] 69 – 59)
AL Wild Card
The AL Wild Card is shaping up to be a great race where there are seven teams within 10 games of the spots. ( I’m going with teams 10 out because like we learned last year, you can get to the postseason from that deficit.)
WC 1. TB 70 – 57 — (3 @ Tex 75 – 52, 4 @ Tor 56 – 70)
WC1. Bal 69 – 57 — (4 vs. Chi [AL] 71 – 55, 3 @ NY [AL] 74 – 53)
WC1. Oak 69 – 57 — (4 @ Cle 55 – 72, 3 vs. Bos 61 – 67)
3. Det 69 – 58 1 (Off Day, 3 @ KC 56 – 70, 3 vs. Chi [AL] 71 – 55)
4. LA 66 – 62 5 (Off Day, 3 vs. Bos 61 – 67, 3 @ Sea 61 – 67)
5. Bos 61 – 67 10 (1 vs. KC 56 – 70, 3 @ LA [AL] 66 – 62, 3 @ Oak 69 – 57)
5. Sea 61 – 67 10 (4 @ Min 52 – 75, 3 vs. LA [AL] 66 – 62)
NL Wild Card
Like the AL, The NL also has seven teams within 10 games of the Wild Card spots. The Bucs will be in action tonight against the Cardinals in a series with HUGE Wild Card implications. Again, we can’t quite count out the Phillies or Brewers because 10 games aren’t so much if you can go streaking.
WC1. Atl 73 – 55 — (3 @ SD 59 – 70, Off Day, 3 vs. Phi 61 – 67)
WC2. StL 70 – 57 — (3 @ Pit 68 – 59, 4 @ Was 77 – 50)
3. LA 69 – 59 2 (3 @ Col 51 – 75, 4 vs. AZ 64 – 64)
4. Pit 68 – 59 2 (3 vs. StL 70 – 57, Off Day, 3 @ Mil 59 – 67)
5. AZ 64 – 64 7 (3 vs. Cin 77 – 52, 4 vs. LA [NL] 69 – 59)
6. Phi 61 – 67 10 (Off Day, 3 vs. NY [NL] 59 – 69, 3 @ Atl 73 – 55)
6. Mil 59 – 67 10 (4 @ Chi [NL] 49 – 77, 3 vs. Pit 68 – 59)
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