The Toronto Blue Jays are closing in on the Cleveland Guardians in the race for the remaining wild-card spot in the American League. The Blue Jays and Guardians both have a similar number of wins as they head into Friday’s games. However, the Guardians have an opportunity to increase their wins as they are scheduled to play a double-header against the Detroit Tigers.
If the Guardians manage to win both games against the Tigers, they will end the day with a 72-70 record. On the other hand, the Blue Jays can only aim to secure a victory against the Kansas City Royals on Friday to improve their record to 71-71, bringing them back to the .500 mark for the first time since June.
In addition to the Blue Jays and Guardians, several other teams are also vying for the third AL wild-card spot. The Blue Jays recently won a series against the Guardians, triumphing in two out of three games, including a 6-3 victory on Thursday.
Starting a new three-game series with the Kansas City team on Friday, the Blue Jays have 21 games left in the regular season and need to continue winning to keep their playoff hopes alive. In the American League, six teams will advance to the post-season, including three division winners and three teams with the next-best records securing wild-card spots.
Outside the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox currently hold wild-card spots with the best records. The Texas Rangers also won on Thursday, matching the Blue Jays’ 70-71 record. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles suffered a defeat against Boston, leaving them with a 69-72 season record.
