The Toronto Blue Jays are closing in on the Cleveland Guardians in the race for the American League’s final wild-card spot. To maintain their position, the Blue Jays need to secure a win against the Kansas City Royals while hoping that the Guardians stumble in at least one of their two games in a Friday double-header against the Detroit Tigers.
Both Toronto and Cleveland currently have 70 wins each. If the Guardians win both games against the Tigers, they will move to 72-70. On the other hand, the Blue Jays can only reach 71-71 by beating the Royals, bringing them back to a .500 win-loss record for the first time since June.
With several teams vying for the third AL wild-card spot, the Blue Jays are in a tight competition alongside the Guardians and others.
In a recent three-game series, the Blue Jays emerged victorious over the Guardians, winning two out of three matches, including a 6-3 triumph on Thursday. The Blue Jays will kick off a new series against the Kansas City team on Friday, with 21 regular-season games left to play as they aim to bolster their chances of making it to the playoffs.
In the American League, six teams will advance to the post-season: three division winners and the next three teams with the best records earning wild-card berths. Currently, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox hold wild-card positions outside of the division leaders, the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Texas Rangers also won their recent game, matching the Blue Jays’ record at 70-71. On the other hand, the Baltimore Orioles suffered a defeat against Boston, leaving them at 69-72 for the season.
