The final week of the MLB regular season is going to get whacky as four teams fight for one spot in the American League playoff race.
The Yankees are all but a lock to claim the first wild card position, while the Astros, Angels, Twins and Indians will be scoreboard watching all week as the race plays out.
Minnesota has seven games remaining, beginning with a four-game road series Monday night in Cleveland. The Twins follow that up with the final home series Friday-Sunday against the Royals. Grantland calls it the most difficult remaining schedule among contenders.
Houston has the worst road record in the league and they play their final six games on the road against Seattle and Arizona.
The Angels play three games at home against the Athletics before finishing the season with a four-game series at Texas, whom will almost without question be in a position to clinch the AL West.
If Houston continues to struggle on the road, it could open the door for the Twins or Angels. But as the Star Tribune observes, the Angels are red hot right now.
Sports Illustrated gives the Twins less than a six percent chance of passing both Houston and Los Angeles.
Grantland did take notice that Miguel Sano has been a key leader for the Twins’ simply being in the fight, even going as far to compare him to Cubs star rookie slugger Kris Bryant.
“He’s doing pretty much what Kris Bryant is doing in the NL, and he’ll have the chance to continue to do it against the toughest schedule of any remaining AL wild-card contender: The Twins, who currently sit 1.5 games back of the Astros, finish with four against the Indians and three against the division-leading Royals.”
By the time most fans wake up Tuesday there’s a chance the Twins would be tied with the Angels and only a 1/2 game behind Houston. All it takes is a Twins win and both Houston and Los Angeles losing.
