Wild-card watch: How Mariners can clinch postseason berth
Sep 29, 2016, 12:40 PM | Updated: Oct 1, 2016, 8:43 pm
The Mariners won their third straight on Friday night, but they are in do-or-die mode in their quest for an American League wild card berth as they’re 1 1/2 games behind both Toronto and Baltimore, who are tied for the two wild-card spots. A loss in Saturday’s game vs. Oakland would put an end to Seattle’s playoff contention.
Here’s a look at everything you need to know as the M’s try to end the MLB’s longest current playoff drought, which dates back to 2001.
Standings: The Orioles (88-73) lost to the Yankees on Saturday and are tied with Toronto (88-73), which beat Boston on Saturday, for both wild cards. They are both game in front of Detroit (86-74), which lost Saturday to Atlanta, and 1 1/2 games ahead of the Mariners (86-74) for the final playoff spots.
What’s left: The Mariners are playing the first of their two games against the Oakland Athletics, the Orioles finish up against the Yankees (82-76) in New York on Sunday, and the Blue Jays wrap up in Boston battling the AL East champion Red Sox. The Tigers are playing the woeful Braves in Atlanta, and they also have the benefit of a game in hand as they were rained out Thursday against the Indians and will most likely have to go back to Detroit to play Cleveland on Monday to settle the playoff race.
Magic numbers: Baltimore can be assured it won’t fall into a tie with the Mariners by winning Sunday, or if the Mariners lose Saturday or Sunday. The same goes for Toronto.
Possible scenarios for the Mariners to reach the playoffs
• The Mariners could tie for the first wild card if they win out and both Baltimore and Toronto lose Sunday, regardless what of Detroit does. Depending on how Detroit finishes, there would be either a three- or four-team tie to decide the two wild cards. In the case of a three-way tie for the two wild cards, MLB rules state: “Clubs will be assigned A, B and C designations. Club A would host Club B. The winner of the game would be declared one wild card winner. Club C would then host the loser of the game between Club A and Club B to determine the second Wild Card Club.” For a four-way tie: “After Clubs have been assigned their A, B, C and D designations, Club A would host Club B and Club C would host Club D. The winners of each of those games would be declared the Wild Card Clubs.”
• To tie for the second wild card, the Mariners need to win out, with one of either Toronto or Baltimore winning and the other losing. The tie could also include Detroit depending on how it finishes the season. If it’s a two-way tie, the tiebreaker game would occur Tuesday, after Detroit’s makeup game vs. Cleveland. If it’s a three-way tie: “After Clubs have been assigned their A, B and C designations, Club A would host Club B. The winner of the game would then host Club C to determine the Wild Card Club.”
The third game of the Mariners’ series against the A’s is airing on 710 ESPN Seattle.
Check back, as we will update the scenarios through the rest of the season.
