AL Wild Card Update: September 24

As the final week of the season plays out, the Indians are in contention for a playoff spot for the first time since 2007. As they continue to battle it out against the likes of the Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Ranger, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and Kansas City Royals, Wahoo’s on First will be your source for all the updates and insight you could possibly want. We start things off today with a standings update and a recap of all of yesterday’s pennant chase action. (Refresh if videos don’t load)

Standings:

Sept. 24 Standings via ESPN.com

Indians:

The Indians were idle yesterday and tried their best to take advantage of their final off day of the regular season. They are coming off of a four game sweep of the Houston Astros and will face off against the White Sox on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Indians have defeated the White Sox 12 straight times.

Rays:

The Rays defeated the Orioles on Monday afternoon, completing the four game sweep of the division rivals and essentially ending their season. The Rays win combined with the Indians being idle pushed their Wild Card lead to a full game. The Rays, like the Indians, are red hot right now as they ride a four game winning streak that has included an 18-inning marathon and yesterday’s walk off home run by first baseman, James Loney. The Rays travel to New York to take on the Yankees in a three game series set to start on Tuesday.

Rangers:

The Rangers, who have been struggling mightily over the past month, received the gift that just keeps on giving this week, the Houston Astros. The Rangers beat up on their intrastate rivals 12-0 on Monday and pulled to within a game of the idle Indians in the standings. They will continue their series tomorrow against the Astros.

Orioles:

The Orioles season has gone from bad to worse. Not only did the Orioles blow a 4-2 lead on Monday afternoon and swept by the Rays, but their young superstar, Manny Machado, was carted off the field after coming down awkwardly on first base and bending his knee in a way knees aren’t meant to bend. The injury to Machado might signal the death knell for the Orioles postseason hopes.

Yankees:

The Yankees were idle as well on Monday. They are four games back with their playoff hopes coasting on fumes. To make matters worse, C.C. Sabathia has been shut down with a grade 2 hamstring strain. Only a sweep of the Rays combined with some help from the teams ahead of them in the standings could help push them into a Wild Card berth.

Royals:

The Royals defeated the Mariners 6-5 in 12 innings on Monday. The win did little to help the Royals gain ground in the Wild Card standings, but it did help them keep pace. The Royals need some help from above, similar to the Yankees, if they want to make the playoffs for the first time in decades. The Royals have had a nice push, but it may be too little too late.