MLB Playoff Push: How does the AL West logjam affect Blue Jays’ playoff hopes?

Coming into August, the Seattle Mariners sat seventh within the AL wild-card race and third within the AL West. Now, the membership sits first within the division after tying a franchise file for wins in a month, with an opportunity so as to add two extra W’s earlier than the calendar flips to September.

While the Mariners have performed at an unimaginable tempo to climb up the standings, they’ve gotten some assist from the groups round them.

Before beating the New York Mets Monday night time, the Texas Rangers owned a 3-10 file over the earlier two weeks, bringing them again into the wild card image. Meanwhile, simply down the I-45, the Houston Astros haven’t been in a position to make up a lot floor themselves, going 5-5 over their final 10.

For the Toronto Blue Jays, the shift out west brings a brand new goal for a workforce seeking to work its means again right into a wild card spot. As scoreboard-watching season heats up, the Blue Jays can now maintain their eyes on each groups in Texas whereas attempting to realize momentum for the stretch run.

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With simply 30 video games remaining on Toronto’s schedule, let’s verify in on the playoff image to see the place the Mariners’ run has left the remainder of the AL contenders.

IF THE POST-SEASON STARTED TODAY

No. 1 and AL East-Leading Baltimore Orioles (82-49): Bye

No. 2 and AL West-leading Seattle Mariners (75-56): Bye

No. 3 and AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins (69-63) vs. No. 6 Houston Astros (75-58)

No. 4 Tampa Bay Rays (80-52) vs. No. 5 Texas Rangers (74-57)

WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE

With the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels dropping 11 or extra video games out, the wild card chase is shaping as much as be a five-team battle.

At the underside of that group is the Boston Red Sox, who’ve slowly moved additional away from the pack. After splitting a four-game set with the Astros at residence, Boston has misplaced three of its final 4, shifting it 5.5 video games again of the ultimate wild card spot and dropping its playoff odds to beneath 10 per cent. The Red Sox have one of many more durable schedules remaining in MLB, with six collection in opposition to groups above .500 in September.

The subsequent week-and-a-half will present the Blue Jays with an opportunity to make up some severe floor. Despite dropping two of three to the Cleveland Guardians, Toronto rotated and took the primary sport of its collection in opposition to the Washington Nationals Monday night time.

As they transfer by means of the best portion of their schedule — with collection in opposition to the Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals on deck — the Blue Jays could make headway on catching the Astros or Rangers, particularly with the 2 golf equipment set to face off Sept. 4-6.

LOOKING AT THE WILD CARD RACE THIS WEEK

Seattle Mariners: Just one sport away from a franchise file for wins in a month, Seattle has two video games at residence in opposition to the Athletics to get the job finished. In Monday night time’s sport, Julio Rodriguez continued his August assault on opposing pitchers, going 4-for-5 with a house run and three RBI, bringing his OPS for the month to 1.198.

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Tampa Bay Rays: After posting a .333 profitable share in July, the Rays have taken benefit of a weaker August schedule to cement themselves atop the wild-card image. That will solely proceed this week, as they hit the highway to face the Miami Marlins for a two-game collection earlier than heading to Cleveland to face the Guardians — who they beat in a three-game set earlier this month.

Texas Rangers: While it took a ninth-inning rally to beat the Mets Monday, the Rangers now have an opportunity to finish their three-series shedding streak. They’ll flip to Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning for the ultimate two video games as they appear to regain pole place atop the AL West. Before relinquishing high spot to Seattle on Sunday, Texas hadn’t been in second place since April 8.

Houston Astros: The Astros have scored 30 runs over their final two video games. They beat up on the Red Sox 13-5 Monday night time, and might deal a extreme blow to Boston’s playoff hopes with one other win or two within the collection. They’ll host the Yankees this weekend as they get set for subsequent week’s ever-important collection in opposition to the Rangers.

Toronto Blue Jays: With Matt Chapman hitting the IL and Bo Bichette awaiting the outcomes of an MRI on his quad, the Blue Jays managed to place up six runs of their win over the Nationals. The workforce has now scored six or extra runs in three straight video games, one thing they’d solely finished as soon as earlier than this season. While an offensive breakout has seemingly been on the horizon all yr, may the tender schedule forward give Toronto’s bats an opportunity to get rolling?

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Boston Red Sox: If the Red Sox are going to have a shot at making the post-season, they’ll’t afford to maintain shedding to groups forward of them within the standings. They had been in a position to make up some floor in early August after a 5-2 stretch in opposition to the Royals and Detroit Tigers, however thus far this month, they’re simply 3-7 in opposition to groups that at present have a greater file within the AL. They have the chance to flip the script heading into September with the 2 remaining video games of their collection in opposition to the Astros.

PLAYOFF ODDS REPORT

Here is what FanGraphs and Baseball Reference are projecting, as of Tuesday morning, when it comes to playoff odds amongst AL groups battling for post-season spots.

Baltimore’s FanGraphs odds: 99.9% | Baltimore’s Baseball Reference odds: 99.9%

Seattle’s FanGraphs odds: 86.5% | Seattle’s Baseball Reference odds: 90.6%

Minnesota’s FanGraphs odds: 98.0% | Minnesota’s Baseball Reference odds: 97.7%

Tampa Bay’s FanGraphs odds: 99.2% | Tampa Bay’s Baseball Reference odds: 98.8%

Texas’ FanGraphs odds: 67.5% | Texas’ Baseball Reference odds: 76.8%

Houston’s FanGraphs odds: 86.5% | Houston’s Baseball Reference odds: 75.7%

Toronto’s FanGraphs odds: 49.4% | Toronto’s Baseball Reference odds: 53.6%

Boston’s FanGraphs odds: 8.8% | Boston’s Baseball Reference odds: 4.3%

New York’s FanGraphs odds: 0.1% | New York’s Baseball Reference odds: 0.3%

Cleveland’s FanGraphs odds: 1.8% | Cleveland’s Baseball Reference odds: 2.1%

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