The Major League Baseball playoff picture should be a lot clearer by the end of this weekend however heading into Friday there are still eight teams in contention for the American League's post-season. Each team still alive in the AL has six games left to play in their schedules and those teams, comprehensively, include the Baltimore Orioles, the New York Yankees, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Detroit Tigers, the Chicago White Sox, the Texas Rangers, the Oakland Athletics, and the Los Angeles Angels. On Friday all of these teams are scheduled for action and all are under pressure to produce wins.
The Orioles will face the Boston Red Sox on September 28th in a game from Camden Yards. Aaron Cook (4-10, 5.13) is the probable starter for Boston while Chris Tillman (8-2, 3.08) is the likely starter for Baltimore. The Orioles are currently on top of the Wild Card standings but they can still hope to avoid the Wild Card Showdown by winning the American League East pennant. Entering Friday they are just one game back of the New York Yankees in that race.
The Yankees are in action on Friday as well but unlike the Orioles the Bronx Bombers will be on the road. The Toronto Blue Jays will host the Yankees from the Rogers Centre and the probable pitchers are Hiroki Huroda (14-11, 3.34) for the Yanks and Chad Jenkins (0-2, 4.24) for the Jays. The Jays have not been playing well lately as they are just 3-7 in their last ten games however they are nearly a .500 team when playing at home on the year.
The Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago White Sox will continue their series on Friday. The Rays won Friday's game 3-2 and have won eight straight games to give themselves a chance of making the post-season. Jeremy Hellickson (9-10, 3.77) is Tampa Bay's probable while Gavin Floyd (10-11, 4.56) is scheduled to start for the Chi Sox. The Rays could still catch New York for the American League East pennant however they are four games back of the Yanks with just six games left. The Rays have to be eyeing a wild card spot while Chicago need to win games fast in hopes of catching the Tigers who lead the Central division by two games.
The Rangers, with a .590 winning percentage, look great to make the divisional series. They have a four game lead over Oakland in the American League West, a lead that they aren't likely to lose. Texas will have a tough pitcher hurling against them on Friday however since they will likely face Cy Young candidate Jered Weaver (19-4, 2.74) of the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels are all but mathematically eliminated from the race in the West but they still have a reasonable chance to make the Wild Card Showdown.
The Tigers, looking to protect their lead in the AL Central division, will face the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Although Minnesota will likely send Scott Diamond (12-8, 3.64) to the mound, the Twins are just 30-48 on the year from their home park. Detroit also enter Friday having won four straight games, a streak that has drastically improved their chances of making the divisional series.
The Oakland Athletics will host the Seattle Mariners on Friday from Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Athletics have not played their best in recent times as they are just 4-6 in their last ten. They could be heading toward the Wild Card Showdown and are perhaps fortunate to have the Mariners in town, a team that is just 3-7 in their last ten and 35-43 on the road.
If the divisionals started today New York would be in from the AL East, Detroit would be in from the Central division, and Texas would be in from the AL West. Baltimore and Oakland would have to square off and waste at least one arm each in the Wild Card Showdown in hopes of making a divisional series. AL action on Friday starts as early as 7:05pm ET with the Mariners and Athletics scheduled to start at 10:05pm ET from Oakland (7:05pm PT).