The Blue Jays aren’t quite home free in the American League East even though they’re up three games and have secured the tiebreaker with nine games to play.
In addition to holding the first AL wild card, the Yankees have shaved two games off the Blue Jays’ lead in two days and all of their remaining games are against last-place teams.
With Max Fried pitching seven shutout innings to improve his record to 18-5, the Yankees opened a four-game series in Baltimore on Thursday night with a 7-0 victory.
In a Thursday matinee, Shane Baz pitched five scoreless innings and the Rays blanked the Blue Jays 4-0 in Tampa to earn a split in the four-game series.
Elsewhere …
In New York, Pete Alonso homered for the fourth game in a row and Juan Soto reached the 100-RBI plateau for the Mets, who handled the Padres 6-1 to maintain a two-game lead for the last NL wild card.
In Los Angeles, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and five relievers combined for a one-hitter with 10 walks in a 2-1 win over the Giants that reduced their magic number to one for clinching a playoff berth. The Dodgers have a three-game lead over the Padres for first in the NL West. The Giants’ fifth loss in six games left them three games behind the Mets’ for the final NL wild card.
In Cincinnati, Hunter Greene flirted with a no-hitter pitching a one-hit, complete-game shutout and the Reds shut out the Cubs 1-0. Chicago’s only hit was a seventh-inning, two-out double by Seiya Suzuki. Along with Arizona, the Reds are two games behind the Mets for the last NL wild card.
In Boston, Brett Rooker hit his 30th homer and the Athletics beat the Red Sox 5-3 to win the three-game series. The Red Sox. who have lost five of seven, are just 1 1/2 ahead of the surging Guardians for the last AL wild card.
In Detroit, Jose Ramirez hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the seventh inning for the red-hot Guardians, who completed a three-game sweep of the first-place Tigers with a 3-1 win. Cleveland, which has won seven in a row and 12 of 13, is 3 1/2 games behind Detroit in the AL Central in addition to closing on the Red Sox for a wild-card spot.
In Kansas City, Luis Castillo pitched six shutout innings and the Mariners shut out the Royals 2-0 to climb back into a tie with the Astros for first in the AL West. The Mariners and Astros, who also are tied for the second AL wild card, play this weekend in Seattle. The Mariners currently hold the tiebreaker via best division record, but that will change after this weekend when someone wins the season series, which is tied 5-5.
In Milwaukee, Brice Turang had a tie-breaking single in the seventh inning for the Brewers, who beat the Angels 5-2 to go six games up on the second-place Cubs in the NL Central.
Here’s a look at magic numbers plus the remaining schedules and tiebreakers for the contenders through Thursday, Sept. 18 along with playoff matchups if the postseason began on Friday, Sept. 18:
AL EASTTORONTO BLUE JAYS (89-64)
Standings: First in AL East. Lead second-place Yankees by 3 games.
Tiebreakers: Blue Jays won season series with Yankees 8-5; Blue Jays won season series with Mariners 4-2; Blue Jays trail season series with Astros 3-1. Blue Jays won season series with Tigers 4-3.
Magic number to clinch AL East: 6
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 3
Games remaining: 9 (6 home, 3 road).
Blue Jays schedule:
Sept. 19-21: at Royals (3)
Sept. 23-25: Red Sox (3)
Sept. 26-28: Rays (3)
NEW YORK YANKEES (86-67)
Standings: Second in AL East. Trail first-place Blue Jays by 3 games. First in AL wild-card standings. Lead Guardians by 4.5 games for third wild card.
Tiebreakers: Yankees lost season series with Blue Jays 8-5; Yankees lost season series with Red Sox 9-4; Yankees tied season series with Astros 3-3; Yankees won season series with Mariners 5-1; Yankees lost season series with Tigers 4-2.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 6
Games remaining: 9 (6 home, 3 road).
Yankees schedule:
Sept. 19-21: at Orioles (3)
Sept. 23-25: White Sox (3)
Sept. 26-28: Orioles (3)
BOSTON RED SOX (83-70)
Standings: Third in AL East. Trail first-place Blue Jays by 7 games. Third in AL wild-card standings. Lead Guardians by 1.5 games for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Red Sox won season series with Yankees 9-4; Red Sox tied season series with Mariners 3-3; Red Sox lost season series with Rangers 4-3; Red Sox won season series with Astros 4-2.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 9
Games remaining: 9 (3 home, 6 road).
Red Sox schedule:
Sept. 19-21: at Rays (3)
Sept. 23-25: at Blue Jays (3)
Sept. 26-28: Tigers (3)
AL CENTRALDETROIT TIGERS (85-68)
Standings: First in AL Central. Lead second-place Guardians by 3.5 games.
Tiebreakers: Tigers trail season series with Guardians 6-4; Tigers lost season series with Blue Jays 4-3; Tigers won season series with Yankees 4-2.
Magic number to clinch AL Central: 7
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 7
Remaining games: 9 (3 home, 6 road).
Tigers schedule:
Sept. 19-21: Braves (3)
Sept. 22-24: at Guardians (3)
Sept. 26-28: at Red Sox (3)
CLEVELAND GUARDIANS (81-71)
Standings: Second in AL Central. Trail first-place Tigers by 3.5 games. Fourth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Red Sox by 1.5 games for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Guardians lead season series with Tigers 6-4; Guardians lost season series with Mariners 4-2; Guardians trail season series with Rangers 3-0.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 9
Remaining games: 10 (6 home, 4 road).
Guardians schedule:
Sept. 19-21: at Twins (4)
Sept. 23-25: Tigers (3)
Sept. 26-28: Rangers (3)
AL WESTSEATTLE MARINERS (84-69)
Standings: Tied with Astros for first in AL West. Tied with Astros for second AL wild card. Lead Rangers by 5 games for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Mariners season series with Astros tied 5-5; Mariners won season series with Rangers 10-3.
Magic number to clinch AL West: 10
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 8
Remaining games: 9 (6 home, 3 road).
Mariners schedule:
Sept. 19-21: at Astros (3)
Sept. 23-25: Rockies (3)
Sept. 26-28: Dodgers (3)
HOUSTON ASTROS (84-69)
Standings: Tied with Mariners for first in AL West. Tied with Mariners for second AL wild card. Lead Rangers by 5 games for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Astros season series with Mariners tied 5-5; Astros won season series with Rangers 7-6; Astros lost season series with Red Sox 4-2.
Magic number to clinch AL West: 10
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 8
Remaining games: 9 (3 home, 6 road).
Astros schedule:
Sept. 19-21: Mariners (3)
Sept. 23-25: at Athletics (3)
Sept. 26-28: at Angels (3)
TEXAS RANGERS (79-74)
Standings: Third in AL West. Trail first-place Mariners and Astros by 5 games. Fifth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Red Sox by 4 games for second and third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Rangers lost season series with Astros 7-6; Rangers lost season series with Mariners 10-3.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 6
Remaining games: 9 (6 home, 3 road).
Rangers schedule:
Sept. 19-21: Marlins (3)
Sept. 23-25: Twins (3)
Sept. 26-28: at Guardians (3)
NL EAST
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (90-62)
Standings: First in NL East. Lead second-place Mets by 12 games.
Tiebreakers: Phillies lead season series with Dodgers 4-1; Phillies lost season series with Brewers 4-2.
Magic number to clinch NL East: Clinched Sept. 15.
Remaining games: 9 (6 home, 3 road).
Phillies schedule:
Sept. 19-21: at Diamondbacks (3)
Sept. 23-25: Marlins (3)
Sept. 26-28: Twins (3)
NEW YORK METS (79-74)
Standings: Second in NL East. Trail first-place Phillies by 12 games. Third in NL wild-card standings. Lead Diamondbacks by 2 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Mets won season series with Giants 4-2; Mets lost season series with Reds 4-2; Mets tied season series with Diamondbacks 3-3.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 8
Remaining games: 9 (3 home, 6 road).
Mets schedule:
Sept. 19-21: Nationals (3)
Sept. 23-25: at Cubs (3)
Sept. 26-28: at Marlins (3)
NL CENTRALMILWAUKEE BREWERS (94-59)
Standings: First in NL Central. Lead second-place Cubs by 6 games.
Tiebreakers: Brewers lost season series with Cubs 7-6. Brewers won season series with Phillies 4-2.
Magic number to clinch NL Central: 4
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched on Sept. 13.
Remaining games: 9 (3 home, 6 road).
Brewers schedule:
Sept. 19-21: at Cardinals (3)
Sept. 22-24: at Padres (3)
Sept. 26-28: Reds (3)
CHICAGO CUBS (88-65)
Standings: Second in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 6 games. First in NL wild-card standings. Lead Diamondbacks and Reds by 11 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Cubs won season series with Brewers 7-6; Cubs tied season series with Padres 3-3.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched Sept. 16.
Remaining games: 9 (6 home, 3 road).
Cubs schedule:
Sept. 19-21: at Reds (3)
Sept. 23-25: Mets (3)
Sept. 26-28: Cardinals (3)
CINCINNATI REDS (77-76)
Standings: Third in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 17 games. Tied with Diamondbacks for fourth in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets by 2 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Reds won season series with Mets 4-2; Reds tied season series with Giants 3-3; Reds won season series with Diamondbacks 4-2.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 8
Remaining games: 9 (6 home, 3 road).
Reds schedule:
Sept. 19-21: Cubs (3)
Sept. 23-25: Pirates (3)
Sept. 26-28: at Brewers (3)
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (74-79)
Standings: Fourth in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 20 games. Seventh in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets by 5 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Cardinals lost season series with Mets 5-2; Cardinals lead season series with Giants 2-1.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 5
Remaining games: 9 (3 home, 6 road).
Cardinals schedule:
Sept. 19-21: Brewers (3)
Sept. 22-24: at Giants (3)
Sept. 26-28: at Cubs (3)
NL WESTLOS ANGELES DODGERS (86-67)
Standings: First in NL West. Lead second-place Padres by 3 games.
Tiebreakers: Dodgers won season series with Padres 9-4; Dodgers lost season series with Phillies 4-2; Dodgers lost season series with Brewers 6-0.
Magic number to clinch NL West: 6
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 1
Remaining games: 9 (3 home, 6 road).
Dodgers schedule:
Sept. 19-21: Giants (3)
Sept. 23-25: at Diamondbacks (3)
Sept. 26-28: at Mariners (3)
SAN DIEGO PADRES (83-70)
Standings: Second in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 3 games. Second in NL wild-card standings. Lead Diamondbacks and Reds by 6 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Padres lost season series with Dodgers 9-4; Padres won season series with Mets 4-2; Padres tied season series with Phillies 3-3.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 4
Remaining games: 9 (6 home, 3 road).
Padres schedule:
Sept. 19-21: at White Sox (3)
Sept. 22-24: Brewers (3)
Sept. 26-28: Diamondbacks (3)
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (77-76)
Standings: Third in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 9 games. Tied with Reds for fourth in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets by 2 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Diamondbacks tied season series with Mets 3-3; Diamondbacks won season series with Giants 7-6; Diamondbacks lost season series with Reds 4-2.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 8
Remaining games: 9 (6 home, 3 road).
Diamondbacks schedule:
Sept. 19-21: Phillies (3)
Sept. 23-25: Dodgers (3)
Sept. 26-28: at Padres (3)
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (76-77)
Standings: Fourth in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 10 games. Sixth in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets by 3 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Giants lost season series with Padres 10-3; Giants lost season series with Diamondbacks 7-6; Giants tied season series with Reds 3-3. Giants trail season series with Cardinals 2-1.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 7
Remaining games: 9 (6 home, 3 road).
Giants schedule:
Sept. 19-21: at Dodgers (3)
Sept. 22-24: Cardinals (3)
Sept. 26-28: Rockies (3)
POSTSEASON MATCHUPSAL WILD CARD SERIES (best-of-3)
Blue Jays (1), Tigers (2), byes
Red Sox (6) at Mariners/Astros (3)
Mariners/Astros (5) at Yankees (4)
NL WILD CARD SERIES (best-of-3)
Brewers (1), Phillies (2), byes
Mets (6) at Dodgers (3)
Padres (5) at Cubs (4)
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