While the National League playoff picture has begun to sort itself out, things are still very much up in the air in the AL, where the Twins are the only team to have clinched their division thus far. The Orioles and the Rays remain in a battle for the East, while the AL West is a three-team war that will decide not only a division but will also likely shape the outcome of the Wild Card race.
If the season ended today, the Orioles and Rangers would earn division titles, though plenty can still change — especially in the West, where the top three teams still have several head-to-head matchups remaining. With just a few days left in the 2023 season, here’s where the AL Wild Card picture stands on Thursday, September 28.
AL Wild Card standings: Thursday, September 28
1st Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays — 97-62, +10.5 (clinched playoff spot)
2nd Wild Card: Toronto Blue Jays — 87-81, +0.5
3rd Wild Card: Houston Astros — 87-72, —
Seattle Mariners — 85-73, 1.5 GB
Seattle’s late slide continued on Wednesday night with another tough loss to the Astros, dropping two of three to Houston this week and falling 1.5 games out of a playoff spot — and four games back of the Rangers in the AL West with four games against Texas coming up to close the season. The division is now more or less out of reach, and Seattle is left hoping that the Diamondbacks can help them out with at least a couple wins over Houston this weekend. If the Mariners win the series opener on Thursday, they move a game back of the Astros with each team having three games remaining. Lose, though, and they have to sweep and then pray for a miracle.
Outside of that, there isn’t a ton of drama, with the Red Sox and Yankees having been officially eliminated. New York is still intent on playing spoiler in Toronto, but the Jays remain in good shape to snag one of the two Wild Card spots still up for grabs — with a two-game lead and a very friendly remaining schedule.
