Two days remain in the 2021 MLB regular season and two American League postseason spots remain up for the grabs. The two wild-card spots are undecided and four teams are still mathematically alive. The possibility of a massive four-team or three-team tie exists. Here’s how the tiebreaker scenarios would work.
While the Rays have already clinched the AL East title and secured home-field advantage throughout the AL bracket, the Yankees are still in high-stakes mode. As such, Saturday afternoon’s clash between these two divisional rivals in the Bronx is very much on our radar. Here are the wild card standings coming into Saturday’s slate:
AL wild-card standings
1. Yankees: 91-69 (+1 G)
2. Red Sox: 90-70 —
—————————
3. Mariners: 89-71 (1 GB)
4. Blue Jays: 89-71 (1 GB)
As you can see, the Yankees are two games clear of the Blue Jays and Mariners for a postseason spot. They can clinch the top wild-card spot as soon as Saturday, when they send stalwart lefty Jordan Montgomery (6-6, 3.49 ERA) to the mound against flame-throwing Rays rookie Shane Baz (2-0, 1.69 ERA). The Red Sox, meanwhile, have not yet announced their starting pitcher for Saturday’s contest with the Nationals. Washington is sending rookie Josiah Gray (2-2, 5.85 ERA) to the mound.
Saturday’s AL wild-card clinching scenarios
- The Yankees will clinch a wild-card spot with a win or losses by both the Blue Jays and Mariners.
- The Yankees will clinch the top wild-card spot with a win and a Red Sox loss.
- The Red Sox will clinch a wild-card spot with a win and losses by both the Blue Jays and Mariners.
- The Blue Jays and Mariners can not clinch Saturday.
The Yankees have already guaranteed themselves an extra game, either a Game 163 tiebreaker Monday or the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday. Their season will not end Sunday no matter what. The Red Sox can assure themselves an extra game with one more win, or losses by both the Blue Jays and Mariners.
Both the Yankees and Red Sox control their own destinies. Win their games Saturday and Sunday and they’re in the postseason, no matter what anyone else does. The Blue Jays and Mariners need help to reach the postseason at this point.
Key AL wild-card games, scores
Rays at Yankees, 1:05 p.m. ET (GameTracker)
Orioles at Blue Jays, 3:07 p.m. ET (GameTracker)
Red Sox at Nationals, 4:05 p.m. ET (GameTracker)
Angels at Mariners, 9:10 p.m. ET (GameTracker)
Follow along below for live updates, scores, highlights and analysis from Saturday in the AL wild-card race.