Texas Rangers Stops Bleeding in Playoff Chase With Win
The Texas Rangers finally helped themselves in the American League playoff race on Saturday, beating the Oakland Athletics 3-2.
The Rangers needed to snap a four-game losing streak and, while it wasn’t pretty, they managed to do it. And while Texas didn’t get everything it could have asked for on Saturday, after allowing a big chance to close the gap pass by on Friday, the Rangers will take what they can get.
The Astros won, the Mariners lost and the AL Wild Card race tightened just a bit.
Below is an update on the race, with the current standings, magic numbers to clinch the AL West and a Wild Card berth, along with the remaining schedules for the teams that are still in the race.
The AL West Race as of Sept. 10
Saturday's AL West results
- Texas 3, Oakland 2
- Houston 7, San Diego 5
- Tampa Bay 7, Seattle 5
AL West Standings
- Houston (81-62): — (Magic Number: 19)
- Seattle (79-63): 1.5 GB
- Texas (77-64): 3.0 GB
What’s Left?
- Houston (19): Sunday: vs. San Diego (1); Monday-Wednesday: vs. Oakland (3); Sept. 15-17: at Kansas City (3); Sept. 18-20: vs. Baltimore (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Kansas City (3); Sept. 25-27: at Seattle (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Arizona (3)
- Seattle (20): Sunday: at Tampa Bay (1); Monday-Wednesday: vs. Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 15-17: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (3); Sept. 18-20: at Oakland (3); Sept. 22-24: at Texas (3); Sept. 25-27: vs. Houston (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: vs. Texas (4)
- Texas (21): Sunday: vs. Oakland (1); Monday-Thursday: at Toronto (4); Sept. 15-17: at Cleveland (3); Sept. 18-20: vs. Boston (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Seattle (3); Sept. 25-27: at Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: at Seattle (4)
AL Wild Card Race as of Sept. 10
(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)
Saturday's Other Key results
- Toronto 5, Kansas City 1
AL Wild Card Standings
- Tampa Bay (87-56): +7.5 Games (Magic Number: 12)
- Seattle (79-63): — (20)
- Toronto (79-63): — (20)
- Texas (77-64): 1.5 GB
What’s Left?
- Tampa Bay (19): Sunday: vs. Seattle (1); Sept. 11-13: at Minnesota (3); Sept. 14-17: at Baltimore (4); Sept. 19-21: vs. Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Toronto (3); Sept. 26-27: vs. Boston (2); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Toronto (3)
- Toronto (20): Sunday: vs. Kansas City (1); Monday-Thursday: vs. Texas (4); Sept. 15-17: vs. Boston (3); Sept. 19-21: at New York Yankees (3); Sept. 22-24: at Tampa Bay (3); Sept. 26-28: vs. New York Yankees (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Tampa Bay (3)
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
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