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AL Playoffs Weekly Watch: Duels at the Top, a Brawl at the Bottom

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In this week’s Playoff Watch: Can the Orioles remain at the top of the standings? Will the Rays fall out of the playoffs? Who will win the AL West between the Astros and the Rangers? Have the Twins secured the weakest division in the MLB? Are the Blue Jays primed to defend the last Wild Card spot, with Seattle and Boston in pursuit?

AL East: The Rise and the Fall

After a positive 4-3 week, the Baltimore Orioles are still holding the AL standings crown. But their small run differential begs the question: will their hot hand in close games start cooling off? Even if it will, they are looking at a relaxing week. A final game against San Diego tonight might be rough, but a series in Oakland and a couple of rest days might be just what the doctor ordered and should help them solidify their positions in the AL and the East.

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But the Conference title might not be in jeopardy. Because on the past 7 days for the Tampa Bay Rays. The 3-4 week isn’t the worst, yes. But losing Shane McClanahan for the next 2 seasons, after injuries to Springs, Rasmussen and Baz, might be a deathblow to their pitching staff. And while the team knew that Shane wasn’t going to pitch this season for a while now, the disturbing allegations brought against their superstar Shortstop, Wander Franco, that landed him on the MLB’s Restricted List might just be the final straw for Tampa.

Under normal circumstances, the following week would not be considered the worst. A game against the Giants and a series against the Angels are not half-bad. Not to mention 2 games against the Rockies and couple of days of rest. But if the Rays come out of this stretch with a 2-4 record or worse, it’s not just that the division title might be out of the question. But missing the playoffs entirely.

 

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AL West: A Heavyweight Brawl

Both the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers have been fighting for AL West supremacy for some time now. Right now, the Rangers are at the top of the division, and are trying to pull away. With a 3.5 game advantage over Houston, they have been playing better as of late then their rivals. Not by much, but by enough to matter. Only 2 losses in the past week to their 3. An 8-2 record in the last 10 compared to their 6-4. Everything feels like this is the year of the Rangers.

This week’s schedule is helping Texas too. While they have to deal with two serious opponents in the Brewers and Arizona, after they bury the play-off hopes of the Angels tonight, the Astros only face teams with playoff aspirations in Miami, Seattle and Boston, while having 1 less day of rest

Houston might have gotten Justin Verlander back, which is an excellent replacement for the now-injured Luis Garcia, but they need to keep the winning pace high, or their road back to the World Series might get significantly harder.

AL Central: Almost There

With 4 of their 5 teams having a sub .500 record, there is no question that the AL Central is the worst division in baseball. Nevertheless, we must give credit where credit is due, and right now, the Minnesota Twins are the kings of these lands, even after an average 3-3 week. They may have lost a series to the Tigers. They may have allowed a No-Hitter to Michael Lorenzen of the Phillies. Yet they still sit comfortably 4.5 games ahead of the Guardians. This coming week might be a soft one. Featuring a game against Detroit, a series against the Pirates and a couple of days off. But the week following? That will be the final test for the team.

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As for the Cleveland, they can only wait for a mistake by the Twins. They also had a 3-3 week, but that isn’t going to cut it. Not if they want to make the post-season. Winning the series against the Reds would be a good start. Beating the Tigers too, especially considering what the week following holds. They are not out yet. But if they wish to have a chance for the division title, their bats need to catch fire. Or risk wasting another year of tremendous pitching.

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The Playoff Picture

As of right now, there are three teams almost certain to make the playoffs. The Orioles, the Rangers, the Astros, based on their standings and form. The 4th team will be de division winner of AL Central between the Twins and Guardians. For now, the 5th is Tampa Bay, assuming they can stay above .500 the rest of the way.

So, the only available playoff spot is the final one. And there is a three-team race, featuring the Blue Jays, the Mariners and the Red Sox. And, if everything goes their way and they finally gain some form, the Yankees.

The Wild Card Race

Toronto currently holds the upper hand, having a 2-game lead over the Seattle, and 3 over the Boston. However, with this much left in the season, the standings can still change dramatically. All of these teams have winning records in the last 10 games. The Mariners and the Blue Jays both had 3-3 weeks, while the Red Sox managed 4 wins to 2 loses. Toronto and Seattle are also hoping for starters to return in their line-ups this week, with Kevin Kiermaier and Bo Bichette on one side, and Jarred Kelenic and J.P. Crawford on the other.

 

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The following week is going to be challenging for all 3 of these teams. The Blue Jays have a game against Phillies, a series against the feisty Reds and a game against the Orioles. Seattle needs to finish off the gritty Royals, only to play Houston in a season-defining series, followed by a White Sox team playing .500 baseball as of late. Boston is playing every day this week, and while the 2 Nationals games aren’t seen as tough, a series against their arch-rival Yankees and 2 games facing the former champions Astros are no walk in the park.

 

Main Photo Credits: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

 

 

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