Wild cards in spotlight for playoffs
With most divisions clinched, race for postseason is lacking drama.
It’s been a down year for pennant races. With a week to go in the regular season, there may not be much drama left. The NL postseason field is almost completely set, and in the AL, Kansas City has already wrapped up the AL Central and Toronto looks poised to put away the East.
One spot that could come down to the wire is the AL’s second wild card. Houston leads by a half game over the Angels, with Minnesota another game behind. The Astros trail firstplace Texas by 21/2 games in the AL West.
In the NL, the Mets have clinched the NL East, and the Dodgers lead the West by six games. St. Louis, Pittsburgh and the Cubs have all clinched playoff berths in the Central, with the Cardinals leading the Pirates by three games atop the division.
“It’s a little bit strange in that there’s not a little bit more on the line for different divisions and postseason spots,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “We find ourself in one of the more intriguing things that are remaining in terms of things to be decided before we get into October baseball. It’s been fun.”
Texas hosts the Angels in a four-game series to end the season. That set could have implications for both teams, and with the Astros and Twins also fighting for a playoff spot, there may be some good scoreboard watching.
That second AL wild card is baseball’s best hope for avoiding an anticlimactic week.
Here are a couple of other developments from around the majors:
On a roll
Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta threw a three-hit shutout Tuesday against Milwaukee, then held Pittsburgh to one hit in seven scoreless innings Sunday. Arrieta has allowed no earned runs in eight of his last 11 starts. Since the All-Star break, he is 11-1 with a 0.80 ERA.
Line of the week
The Indians’ Carlos Carrasco struck out 15 in a one-hit shutout of Kansas City on Friday. It may have been the best game by a Cleveland pitcher this year — Corey Kluber allowed one hit and struck out 18 against St. Louis on May 13, but he came out after eight innings.