The MLB playoff picture is becoming clearer as both Detroit and St. Louis were able to earn division championships, in St. Louis' case a share of the division title, on Wednesday night. The American League Wild Card race has also narrowed a bit as Kansas City and New York were eliminated when both Tampa Bay and Cleveland extended their winning streaks to six.
The Texas Rangers have been able to put together a three game winning streak of their own and they remain one game behind Cleveland for the final Wild Card spot heading into the last series of the season. The Rangers will be hosting the Los Angeles Angels for a four game set beginning on Thursday night.
The one advantage that the Rangers have over the two teams that they are chasing is that they will be playing their games at home. Cleveland will be finishing up the year with four games in Minnesota while Tampa Bay still has one game left in New York before heading to Toronto to finish the year.
Due to the one game Wild Card playoff all three teams would like to have things wrapped up before the last game of the season so that they can get their pitching in order. The Rays already have ace David Price scheduled to go in the playoff if they make it that far. If the Rays stumble and can't hold their one game lead going into the last game of the season they have Matt Moore, who is arguably having a better season than Price, scheduled to pitch.
Cleveland and Texas on the other hand will more than likely be at a bit of a pitching disadvantage going into a playoff since both teams are throwing their aces on Sunday; Ubaldo Jimenez takes the mound for the Tribe while Yu Darvish will be pitching for the Rangers.
In the National League the only intrigue that is left revolves around where the Wild Card playoff will be held. It is unlikely that Pittsburgh will win out while the Cardinals get swept by a team that has been playing for next year since May, the Cubs, so it's safe to assume that the division race is finished.
For the final three games of the year the Reds and Pirates will face each other in Cincinnati to determine which playoff bound team will have the better record and get the opportunity to host the one game playoff. It'll be interesting to see how the two managers approach the importance of hosting the game if the two are tied going into the last game of the season.
* Stats and Schedule taken from MLB.com.
