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This is it! The last three regular season games of 2015 will be played this weekend -- weather permitting, of course -- and then we’ll know who all of this year’s postseason teams are. As of Friday, we know the identities of nine of the 10, but in addition to that one spot that is still up for grabs, we’re still wondering who the AL West champion is, and which teams will be hosting their leagues’ respective Wild Card games.
The Rangers and Yankees both clinched playoff berths on Thursday -- the Rangers are three games up on the Astros in the AL West, but losing three of the next four to the Angels at the same time Houston sweeps the Diamondbacks would mean a tie. All the Rangers need to do is win one more, and the division is theirs. The Astros are a game up on the Angels for that final wild card, so they don’t need the division, but they could use an assist from Texas in case their recent spiraling continues. There is no shame in backing into the playoffs, especially not when you lost 416 games between 2011 and 2014. The Twins are also just a game back, so let’s not forget about them as they take on the Royals.
Those Royals and the Blue Jays are vying for home-field advantage throughout the AL side of the playoffs, so don’t expect the Twins to face an easier version of Kansas City. The Cubs and Pirates are still sorting out who will host the NL Wild Card Game as well, so they aren’t going to let up just yet, either. Right now, the Pirates are two up on the Cubs, and get to face the weaker team in the Reds, while Chicago gets the Brewers -- there could be some chaos, or things could sort out as early as Friday night. If you need a catch-up on how any potential ties will go down, Jay Jaffe is the captain on Team Entropy, and has the details you need.
- Why were everyone's American League predictions so ... well, let's be kind, and say inaccurate.
- The Yankees have no idea how to celebrate clinching the wild card.
- If John Farrell is cancer-free by the end of the month, the Red Sox will announce that he's returning as the manager for 2016. Y'all should heed a little advice from a local: Do not turn on Boston sports radio until months after this is figured out.
- Just to be safe, don't ever listen to Boston sports radio.
- It's going to be Jake Arrieta and the Cubs vs. Gerrit Cole and the Pirates. Who ya got?
- Giants' postseason hero Jeremy Affeldt is retiring at the end of the season.
- The Red Sox are playing well, but they aren't walking.
- Stop alienating your fans by doing things like making fun of "selfie girls" at sporting events, writes Nicole Haase.
- Max Scherzer jokingly choked Bryce Harper at the end of their handshake.
- Here are three ways the A's can try to get rid of Billy Butler before 2016.
- US Cellular Field is finally getting some modern video boards.
- The Braves have a general manager again, as they promoted assistant GM John Coppolella to the role after spending 2015 GM-less. John Hart is still around as the President of Baseball Operations, but presumably, this will give Coppolella more power than he previously had.
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