Baseball playoff tiebreaker scenarios
Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz rests his head in his hands in the dugout before the Red Sox play the Baltimore Orioles. (Sept. 27, 2011) Credit: AP
Down to the final day of the baseball season and as many as eight games will play a role in determining the playoff teams and seeds. Here's a breakdown of the tiebreakers and other scenarios going on around the majors today (all times listed are EDT):
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Wild card
The Red Sox and Rays are tied for the wild card, with records of 90-71. If both teams win, or if they both lose, today, there will be a one-game playoff Thursday at 4:07 p.m. at Tropicana Field in Tampa. The Rays would host the game because they won the season series over Boston, 12-6.
Boston has Jon Lester (15-9, 3.49 ERA) on three days' rest tonight at 7:05 p.m. in Baltimore against Alfredo Simon (4-9, 4.85). Lester is 14-0 with 2.33 ERA in his career against the Orioles.
Tampa Bay hosts the Yankees tonight at 7:10 p.m. and throws David Price (12-13, 3.35). The Yankees have already clinched home field throughout the American League postseason.
Who will the Yankees play?
That's still unclear. Texas leads the Tigers by one game for the No. 2 seed. With either a Texas win or a Detroit loss, the Rangers can clinch the No. 2 seed and host the wild-card winner (Tampa or Boston) Friday at 5:07 p.m. on TBS. If the Rangers lose and the Tigers win tonight, the Tigers get the No. 2 seed because of the 6-3 edge in head-to-head games this season. That would put the Yankees and the Rangers in the ALDS.
Texas throws Matt Harrison (14-9, 3.46) tonight against the Angels' Garrett Richards (0-2, 8.00) at 8:05 p.m.
Rick Porcello (14-9, 4.76) starts for host Detroit opposite Zach McAllister (0-1, 8.53) for Cleveland at 7:05 p.m.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Wild card
Atlanta and St. Louis are tied for the wild card. If they remain tied after tonight, they'll play at one-game playoff Thursday at 8:07 p.m. in St. Louis.
Tim Hudson (16-10, 3.23) starts for host Atlanta tonight at 7:10 p.m. against the Phillies' Joe Blanton (1-2, 5.03). In Houston, Chris Carpenter (10-9, 3.59) leads the Cardinals against the Astros' Brett Myers (7-13, 4.31) at 8:05 p.m.
Seeding
The Phillies already locked up home field advantage for the postseason, so the battle for No. 2 is between Milwaukee (95-66) and Arizona (94-67). If both teams wind up tied at 95-67, Arizona gets the No. 2 seed and home field in the NLDS because the Diamondbacks went 4-3 against the Brewers in the regular season.
Zack Grienke (15-6, 3.86) starts for host Milwaukee tonight against Pittsburgh's Jeff Locke (0-2, 4.97).
In Arizona, Joe Saunders (12-12, 3.58) goes for the Diamondbacks against Ted Lilly (11-14, 4.12) for the Dodgers.
If the Brewers remain ahead of the Diamondbacks and the Braves win the wild card, Milwaukee gets the No. 2 seed and plays Atlanta.
If the Diamondbacks overtake the Brewers and the Braves win the wild card, then Arizona gets the No. 2 seed and plays the Braves.
If the Cardinals earn the wild card, it will be the Phillies vs. the Cardinals and the Brewers vs. the Diamondbacks.
There, everything makes sense now, right?
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