Baseball Chat

[DewDiligence]

AL wildcard tidbits:

1. All four teams—CHI, CLE, BOS, NY—who are fighting for the remaining three playoff slots (2 division champions and one wildcard) control their own destiny and can lock up a slot by winning all of their six remaining games.

2. Three of the four teams—all except CHI—can guarantee that they miss the playoffs by losing all of their remaining games. (If CHI loses all six of its games, it can still tie for the wildcard provided that: a) NY and BOS split their three games 2-1 or 1-2; and b) NY and BOS lose all of their other games. Colossally unlikely, but possible.)

It’s unusual to have both of the above conditions applying to so many teams with only six games remaining. It’s a consequence of having the four contenders playing each other for the final three games of the season.