Rangers Reduce Wild Card Magic Number, AL West Race Tightens

The Texas Rangers are one of three American League West teams that could end up making the postseason by season's end.

The Texas Rangers blasted the Toronto Blue Jays 10-0 on Wednesday night and kept chipping away at their magic number to clinch an American League Wild Card berth.

With the victory, the Rangers (81-64) claimed the series win over the Blue Jays (80-66) and reduced their magic number by one. In addition, the Blue Jays — who were in the Wild Card position at the start of the week — have fallen completely out of the top three spots.

In their place is the Seattle Mariners (81-65), who beat the Los Angeles Angels and are now one game ahead of the Blue Jays for the final spot.

As for the AL West race, the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 6-2 to maintain their one-game lead over the Rangers and trim their magic number to clinch the division title by one.

While the Rangers wrap up the Blue Jays series on Thursday, both the Astros and the Mariners will be off. So the Rangers can chip one-half game off the Astros’ lead by completing a Toronto sweep.

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. 14

Wednesday’s AL West results

• Texas 10, Toronto 0
• Houston 6, Oakland 2
• Seattle 3, Los Angeles Angels 2

AL West Standings

• Houston (83-64): — (Magic Number: 16)
• Texas (81-64): 1 GB
• Seattle (81-65): 1.5 GB

What’s Left?

• Houston (15): 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 (16): 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 (17): 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. 14

(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)

Wednesday’s other key AL Wild Card results

• Tampa Bay 5, Minnesota 4

AL Wild Card Standings

• Tampa Bay (90-57): +8.5 (7)
• Texas (81-64): +0.5 (16)
• Seattle (81-65): — (16)
• Toronto (80-66): 1 GB

What’s Left?

• Tampa Bay (15): 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 (16): Thursday: vs. Texas (1); 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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