The American League Wild Card chase may go down as one of
the most entertaining, the most confusing and one of the best playoff hunts in
the history of North American sports. There are eight-or-nine teams depending
on who you ask vying for just two spots in the American League and this one
looks like it will go down to the absolute wire and the last weekend of the
season. I wonder if Major League Baseball is prepared for tie breaker after tie
breaker and possible outcome after possible outcome. I guess there’s only one
way to find out, watch until the very last pitch is thrown during the 2017
regular season. Until then all we can do is look at the strength of schedules,
for what they are worth anyway since any team can beat any team on any given
night in MLB, and analyze which teams have the best shot on paper of reaching
the 2017 postseason.
I have included home games, away games and number of days
off left for each time and I have also bolded the series that I believe this
team could win. Could win, not will win. You can’t predict baseball.
New York Yankees
4 games vs. Boston Red Sox
3 games @ Baltimore
Orioles
3 games @ Texas
Rangers
3 games @ Tampa Bay
Rays
4 games vs. Baltimore
Orioles
3 games vs. Minnesota
Twins
3 games @ Toronto
Blue Jays
1 game vs. Kansas
City Royals
3 games vs. Tampa Bay
Rays
3 games vs. Toronto
Blue Jays
2 days off
18 home games
12 away games
Minnesota Twins
1 game vs. Chicago
White Sox
3 games vs. Kansas
City Royals
3 games @ Tampa Bay
Rays
4 games @ Kansas City
Royals
2 games vs. San Diego
Padres
4 games vs. Toronto
Blue Jays
3 games @ New York Yankees
4 games @ Detroit
Tigers
3 games @ Cleveland Indians
3 games @ Detroit
Tigers
2 days off
10 home games
20 away games
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
3 games @ Texas
Rangers
3 games @ Oakland
Athletics
3 games @ Seattle
Mariners
3 games vs. Houston Astros
3 games vs. Texas
Rangers
3 games vs. Cleveland Indians
3 games @ Houston Astros
4 games @ Chicago
White Sox
3 games vs. Seattle
Mariners
4 days off
12 home games
16 away games
Baltimore Orioles
4 games vs. Toronto
Blue Jays
3 games vs. New York Yankees
3 games @ Cleveland Indians
3 games @ Toronto
Blue Jays
4 games @ New York Yankees
3 games vs. Boston Red Sox
4 games vs. Tampa Bay
Rays
2 games @ Pittsburgh
Pirates
3 games @ Tampa Bay
Rays
3 days off
14 home games
15 away games
Seattle Mariners
3 games vs. Oakland
Athletics
3 games vs. Houston Astros
3 games vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
4 games @ Texas Rangers
3 games @ Houston Astros
3 games vs. Texas Rangers
3 games vs. Cleveland Indians
3 games @ Oakland
Athletics
3 games @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
4 days off
15 home games
13 away games
Tampa Bay Rays
3 games @ Chicago
White Sox
3 games vs. Minnesota Twins
3 games @ Boston Red Sox
3 games vs. New York Yankees
3 games vs. Boston Red Sox
2 games vs. Chicago Cubs
4 games @ Baltimore Orioles
3 games @ New York Yankees
3 games vs. Baltimore Orioles
5 days off
14 home games
13 away games
Kansas City Royals
3 games @ Minnesota Twins
3 games @ Detroit
Tigers
4 games vs. Minnesota Twins
3 games vs. Chicago
White Sox
4 games @ Cleveland Indians
3 games @ Toronto
Blue Jays
3 games @ Chicago
White Sox
1 game @ New York Yankees
3 games vs. Detroit
Tigers
3 games vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
2 days off
13 home games
17 away games
Texas Rangers
1 game @ Houston Astros
3 games vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
3 games @ Atlanta Braves
3 games vs. New York Yankees
4 games vs. Seattle Mariners
3 games @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
3 games @ Seattle Mariners
3 games @ Oakland Athletics
3 games vs. Houston Astros
4 games vs. Oakland Athletics
2 days off
17 home games
13 away games
Toronto Blue Jays
4 games @ Baltimore Orioles
3 games @ Boston Red Sox
3 games vs. Detroit
Tigers
3 games vs. Baltimore Orioles
4 games @ Minnesota Twins
3 games vs. Kansas City Royals
3 games vs. New York Yankees
3 games @ Boston Red Sox
3 games @ New York Yankees
3 days off
12 home games
17 away games
Who do you have making the 2017 American League Card
Playoffs? Personally, homer alert, I have the New York Yankees and the Los
Angeles Angels on Anaheim squaring off inside Yankee Stadium when all the dust
has settled but who knows what will go down. The great thing about baseball is
that you can’t predict baseball. Stay tuned and have a great rest of the
evening. Also keep in mind that some games are still playing today or set to be
played. I have not included those in this post and all schedules laid out in
this post begin tomorrow, 8/31.