Texas Rangers Trim AL West Lead, Move Up in Wild Card Standings

The Texas Rangers ended up having a big night Tuesday in the standings after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-3, on Tuesday night. But they won much more in the process.

With the victory, the Rangers (80-64) won the season tiebreaker with the Toronto Blue Jays (80-65) in relation to the American League Wild Card race.

Plus, with the win, the Rangers leapfrogged the Blue Jays into the second Wild Card berth, a night after they slipped into the third Wild Card spot past their AL West rival Seattle Mariners.

Finally, the Rangers gained another game on the Houston Astros in the American League West. The Astros — who swept the Rangers last week at Globe Life Field — lost the Oakland Athletics for the second straight game.

So, about a week after looking like they might be tailing off and falling out of the race completely, the Rangers seem to be surging again with less than 20 games left in the season.

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. 13

Tuesday’s AL West results

• Texas 6, Toronto 3
• Oakland 6, Houston 2
• Seattle 8, Los Angeles Angels 0

AL West Standings (Magic Number)

• Houston (82-64): (17)
• Texas (80-64): 1 GB
• Seattle (80-65): 1.5 GB

What’s Left?

• Houston (16): Wednesday: vs. Oakland (1); Friday-Sunday: 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 (17): Wednesday: vs. Los Angeles Angels (1); Friday-Sunday: 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 (18): Wednesday-Thursday: at Toronto (2); Friday-Sunday: 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. 13 (Top three teams clinch)

Tuesday’s other key AL Wild Card results

• Minnesota 3, Tampa Bay 2

Wild Card Standings (Magic Number)

• Tampa Bay (89-57): +8.5 (9)
• Texas (80-64): +0.5 (18)
• Toronto (80-65): — (18)
• Seattle (80-65): — (18)

What’s Left?

• Tampa Bay (16): Wednesday: at Minnesota (1); Thursday-Sunday: 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 (17): Wednesday-Thursday: vs. Texas (2); Friday-Sunday: 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)

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