Seattle Mariners playoff hopes with five games to go
Red Sox – 6 Games Remaining vs. Baltimore (3) and Washington (3)
The team Seattle is chasing for the final wild card spot is likely to win more than they lose over their final six games of the season. Boston has the easiest schedule in baseball this week. They play three games vs. the 50-106 Baltimore Orioles and then three against the disappointing 65-92 Washington Nationals.
The Red Sox are likely to benefit either way, with the Yankees and Blue Jays facing off against each other.
Against Baltimore, they are throwing 5-0, sub 3 ERA Chris Sale, 10-9, sub 4 ERA Nathan Eovaldi, and finally 9-7, 4.50 ERA Nick Pivetta. The Orioles are throwing two pitchers who have 7+ ERAs with one combined win and Bruce Zimmerman, who has a 4.50 ERA. Obviously, the Red Sox offense is superior.
It makes you wish the Mariners hadn’t given up those winnable games against the Red Sox a couple of weeks ago.
New York Yankees – 6 Games Remaining vs. Toronto (3) and Tampa Bay (3)
The Mariners are 2.5 games behind New York, and the Yankees have the toughest schedule of the top contending teams for the wild card spots. The Bronx Bombers play three against Toronto, who the Mariners are 0.5 games behind.
From there, the Yankees face Tampa, who have already clinched the division, for the final three games. It’s not likely that the Rays let up, but the bigger focus for them is on setting their rotation for the first round of the playoffs.
If New York loses two of three from both the Blue Jays and the Rays and the Mariners go 5-0, Seattle can pass them. It’s a scenario where the M’s end up possibly tied with the Blue Jays, but likely ahead of them. If the M’s go 4-1, then they probably end up tied with the Yankees and either the Blue Jays or the Red Sox. Then Seattle goes to a wild set of extended season play-in games before the playoffs can go forward.
Toronto Blue Jays – 6 Games Remaining vs. N.Y. Yankees (3) and Baltimore (3)
The Blue Jays are one game behind the Red Sox and two games behind the Yankees. For Toronto, it’s all or nothing against the Yankees. They either need to be swept or sweep NYY because 2-1 or 1-2 just strings the M’s along and sets up a very stressful weekend.
If the Blue Jays sweep, then they will move into one of the wild card spots and quite possibly the top wild card spot. If they are swept, then they will be out of contention and the M’s focus will be on catching Boston.
The Blue Jays finish the season against the Orioles for three games. That series should see the Jaysgoing 2-1 or 3-0. If the Blue Jays go 6-0 or 5-1, then they are most definitely in the playoffs; 4-2 and it’s going to be close; 3-3, they are likely out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUpSlymktZA