AL wild-card race: It's the Yankees, and then a fickle foursome
Whether a testament to mediocrity or proof of parity, the American League wild-card race has evolved into a mad scramble featuring no less than five teams within four games of a playoff berth. But which of them have a realistic chance to become this year’s Kansas City Royals, and which ones are daydreaming?
Paste BN Sports’ Jorge L. Ortiz breaks down the chase for the two coveted spots:
New York Yankees
Where they stand: At 74-58, the Yankees trail the Toronto Blue Jays by 1½ games but hold a four-game lead for the first wild card.
In their favor: A bullpen anchored by Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller, who essentially turn games into seven-inning affairs. The emergence of rookie Luis Severino and Michael Pineda’s return, which have solidified the rotation. The reawakening of Carlos Beltran, who’s batting .352 in his last 27 games.
Road blocks: The bone bruise in Mark Teixeira’s right leg has not gotten any better and will sideline him at least two more weeks, if not the rest of the season. That’s a major blow to an offense already hampered by Alex Rodriguez’s extended slump. He’s hitting .210 since the All-Star break.
Player to watch: Severino. The 21-year-old right-hander has shown poise and great stuff since making his debut Aug. 5, filling the void created by C.C. Sabathia’s injury absence. With a career-high 128 1/3 innings pitched so far this year, Severino is already into uncharted territory.
Outlook: The Blue Jays’ 24-6 record since their late-July trading spree has relegated the Yankees to wild-card pursuers in most minds but their own. New York is a mere 17-14 in that stretch but opens a 10-game homestand Friday, with the final four coming against Toronto. The clubs also meet Sept. 21-23 at the Rogers Centre.
Texas Rangers
Where they stand: At 70-62, the Rangers trail the Houston Astros by two games and hold a one-game lead for the second wild card.
In their favor: The Rangers have the league’s best road record, 38-30. They have virtually remade the club as the season has progressed – Cole Hamels, Derek Holland and Martin Perez have joined Yovani Gallardo and Colby Lewis in the rotation – and found the right combination in mid-July. Since July 21, Texas has gone 26-13 to trim seven games from the division lead.
Road blocks: The Rangers are defying the old axiom that you win with pitching and defense. They have the third-highest ERA in the AL and have committed the second-most errors. It’s hard to sustain success that way.
Player to watch: Holland. After missing more than four months with a shoulder strain, Holland has had two good starts – including a shutout against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday – and a so-so one. If healthy and close to his old form, Holland could be a big factor.
Outlook: A favorable schedule that has Texas playing 17 of its final 30 games at home augurs well for its chances of returning to the playoffs after a two-year absence. Beginning this weekend, seven of those games will be against the Los Angeles Angels, one of the Rangers’ chief rivals for the wild card. And seven more are with the first-place Houston Astros.
Minnesota Twins
Where they stand: At 69-63, the Twins are trail the Rangers by one game for the second wild card.
In their favor: Coming off four consecutive years of 92-plus losses, the Twins were not expected to play even .500 ball this season, let alone contend, so there’s no pressure on them. With the even-keeled guidance of first-year manager Paul Molitor, Minnesota has stayed in the race despite a negative run differential by winning 10 of its last 12. An influx of youth led by Miguel Sano has helped while also raising hopes for the future.
Road blocks: Minnesota lacks the kind of staff ace who can stop a skid virtually by himself, and the arrival of Ervin Santana (5.40 ERA) after an 80-game suspension has done little to upgrade the rotation. When he finally turned in a strong outing Sunday – seven shutout innings – it marked the first time a Twins starter had completed six innings in nine starts.
Player to watch: Sano. No Twins player has reached 14 home runs or 40 RBI quicker than Sano, who achieved those marks in 50 games. With a league-best ratio of one home run every 11.9 at-bats, the rookie has added much-needed thump to the middle of the order. He has homered in each of the last three games and carries a .620 slugging percentage, which would lead the league if he had enough plate appearances to qualify.
Outlook: The Twins don’t do anything particularly well, but they play loose, avoid mistakes and have been getting contributions from unlikely sources, most recently shortstop Eduardo Escobar. That combination can go far at this time of year.
Los Angeles Angels
Where they stand: At 67-66, the Angels have fallen to third place in the division and stand 3 1/2 games back of the second wild card.
In their favor: One of the game’s top power combos in Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, who have combined for 68 home runs. The return of third baseman David Freese, whose absence from the lineup contributed to the Angels’ August collapse. The Angels also have a tested closer in Huston Street.
Road blocks: The Angels endured a miserable August (10-19) that exposed some of their flaws, including an offensive overreliance on Trout and Pujols. Their best first-half starter, Hector Santiago, has become quite hittable, and the rest of the rotation has been shaky as well. Plus, the Angels are 5-17 in their last 22 road games.
Player to watch: Freese. Though not particularly productive in his two seasons in Anaheim, Freese provides a presence in the middle of the lineup. The Angels were 54-40 when he went down with a broken finger and had an 11-26 record in his absence.
Outlook: This is one puzzling team, capable of drastic ups and downs. Matt Shoemaker’s two strong starts after his return from the minors provide encouragement, but the pitching inconsistency may prove the Angels’ undoing.
Tampa Bay Rays
Where they stand: At 66-67, the Rays are four games back in the chase for the second wild card.
In their favor: Starting pitching has been a strong suit all season for the Rays, who just moved Nathan Karns to the bullpen despite a 3.69 ERA to make room for Matt Moore. Tampa Bay leads the majors with 26 scoreless outings by its starters and is tops in the AL in saves with 51.
Road blocks: The Rays’ offense keeps getting in the way of their success, averaging a league-low 3.8 runs per game. The futility is spread throughout the lineup, with only Logan Forsythe (.291) among the regulars batting better than .280 and only Evan Longoria (61) collecting more than 55 RBI.
Player to watch: Longoria. It hasn’t been a banner season for the three-time All-Star, who has a pedestrian .755 OPS. But Longoria has homered three times in the last three games, a hopeful sign for a team that desperately needs his output.
Outlook: Before Wednesday, the Rays had five consecutive 10-game stretches in which they went 5-5. That’s the very definition of mediocrity, which doesn’t typically get teams into the playoffs.