There are now six days to go in the 2017 regular season, and already seven of the 10 postseason spots have been clinched. Only two division titles remain up for grabs. The best race in baseball right now is for the second NL wild-card spot.
Here, for the purposes of keeping the baseball enthusiast informed, is an update on the various postseason races.
AL East
The Red Sox are four games up on Yankees going into Tuesday's action. Any combination of Red Sox wins and Yankees losses totaling three the rest of the season clinches the division title for Boston.
AL Central
The Indians have already clinched the division title.
AL West
The Astros have already clinched the division title.
AL wild-card spots
Both the Red Sox and Yankees have already clinched postseason spots, so one team will win the AL East and the other will be a wild card team. The BoSox are already assured of having home-field advantage in the Wild Card Game, should they fall out of first place in the AL East. Here are the wild card scenarios for Tuesday:
- Yankees will clinch home-field advantage in the AL Wild Card Game with a win or a Twins loss Tuesday.
- Twins will clinch a wild-card spot with a win and an Angels loss Tuesday.
NL East
The Nationals have already clinched the division title.
NL Central
The Cubs have a six-game lead and can clinch the division title with a win or a Brewers loss Tuesday.
NL West
The Dodgers have already clinched the division title
NL wild-card spots
The Diamondbacks have already clinched the top wild-card spot and will host the NL Wild Card Game. The second spot is still very much up for grabs. The Rockies are 1 1/2 games up on Milwaukee for that second wild-card spot right now. Colorado will clinch with any combination of Rockies wins and Brewers losses totaling five the rest of the season.
Miscellaneous
Now that home-field advantage in the World Series is no longer decided by the All-Star Game, finishing with the best record in baseball is a pretty big deal. It ensures home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Here are some miscellaneous home-field clinching scenarios:
- Dodgers will clinch the best record in baseball with any combination of Dodgers wins and Indians losses totaling five.
- Indians will clinch the best record in the AL with any combination of Indians win and Astros losses totaling five.
- Astros will clinch home-field advantage in the ALDS over the AL East winner with a win and a Red Sox loss Tuesday.
- Nationals have already clinched home-field advantage over the NL Central winner in the NLDS.
Long story short, there are four potential clinching scenarios on tap Tuesday. The Cubs can clinch the NL Central, the Twins can clinch a wild-card spot, the Yankees can clinch home-field advantage in the Wild Card Game, and the Astros can clinch home-field advantage in the ALDS. Got all that? Good.