| Team | Record | Games Back | Next series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rays | 83-69 | - | VS BAL |
| Texas Rangers | 83-69 | - | @ KC |
| Cleveland Indians | 83-70 | 0.5 | VS HOU |
| Baltimore Orioles | 81-71 | 2.0 | @ TB |
| Kansas City Royals | 80-72 | 3.0 | VS TEX |
| New York Yankees | 80-73 | 3.5 | VS SF |
The Texas Rangers rode a wild but effective performance from Yu Darvish and some power-hitting from the heart of their line-up to victory against the Rays last night to secure a 2-2 series draw and bring both teams level atop the wildcard standings. They appear to have reversed the worrying funk that pulled them down to the wildcard pack, and a series win in Kansas City would further bolster their play-off aspirations. For the Rays, a big series with the O's is up next as they look to pull away from the pack. The Orioles pulled off an impressive series win in Boston to keep their slim hopes alive, but a poor performance this weekend could see them drop out of the wildcard race.
Speaking of dropping out of the race, the Yankees lost to the Blue Jays once again last night, taking just one game in the three-game set at the Rogers Centre. The hitting has gone stone cold once again, and they will need to sweep the Giants back in New York if they want to stay in this race. The Royals had a chance to sweep the Indians and push themselves right into contention, but after winning 2 out of 3 they leave themselves with a lot of work to do. The upcoming series with Texas is a must-win. For the Indians, the hardest part of their remaining schedule has been navigated, and with series' against the Astros, White Sox and Twins left, they have to be considered most likely to spoil the party for Tampa Bay or Texas.
The NL Central Picture
Speaking of dropping out of the race, the Yankees lost to the Blue Jays once again last night, taking just one game in the three-game set at the Rogers Centre. The hitting has gone stone cold once again, and they will need to sweep the Giants back in New York if they want to stay in this race. The Royals had a chance to sweep the Indians and push themselves right into contention, but after winning 2 out of 3 they leave themselves with a lot of work to do. The upcoming series with Texas is a must-win. For the Indians, the hardest part of their remaining schedule has been navigated, and with series' against the Astros, White Sox and Twins left, they have to be considered most likely to spoil the party for Tampa Bay or Texas.
The NL Central Picture
| Team | Record | Games Back | Next Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Louis Cardinals | 89-64 | - | @ MIL |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 88-65 | 1.0 | VS CIN |
| Cincinnati Reds | 87-66 | 2.0 | @ PIT |
After yesterday's tough 15 inning loss, the Cardinals were able only to split the series at Coors Field with the Rockies, and their NL Central remained well within reach at 1 game. The upcoming series with Milwaukee should be a relatively easy one, and they'll look to sweep as the hunt for a NLDS spot heats up. The Pirates were having a shocking series against the Padres, losing the first three games and risking being swept at home. Gerrit Cole stepped up in the final game with a 12 strikeout performance to salvage a game for the Pirates, but with a huge series against Cincinnati coming up, they'll need to keep this momentum going. The Reds did exactly what they were expected to do against the Astros, sweeping them behind a strong 4-steal debut for Billy Hamilton, and if they can take the series in Pittsburgh they could put themselves in prime position to make a late run at the NL Central crown.
GIF of the Day
Today's GIF of the day is a an amusing excerpt from one of Francisco Liriano's rehab starts earlier this season. Having spent his entire career in the DH-oriented AL, batting and running apparently weren't things that came naturally to him.
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