With just two days remaining in the 2016 regular season schedule, MLB has a seemingly ideal situation with the Wild Card races. None of the four Wild Card spots have yet been clinched, and heading into the final weekend there are still seven teams alive and kicking for the four open spots in the postseason.
MLB playoffs 2016: 7 teams still alive for 4 Wild Card spots with 2 days left
3 teams can clinch playoff berths as early as Saturday
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Up first on Saturday is the National League, with the New York Mets atop the heap with a one-game lead over the San Francisco Giants for the top Wild Card spot, and a two-game advantage over the St. Louis Cardinals.
New York can clinch a Wild Card berth on Saturday with a win or a Cardinals loss. Both teams play at 1:05 p.m. ET, with the Mets battling the Phillies in Philadelphia and the Cardinals hosting the Pirates at home.
The Mets can clinch the top Wild Card spot on Saturday with a win and a Giants loss. That would assure the Mets would host the National League Wild Card Game, which will be played on Wednesday, Oct. 5 on ESPN.
The Giants play later in the afternoon, hosting the Dodgers at 4:05 p.m. in San Francisco. The Giants can secure a Wild Card berth on Saturday with a win and a Cardinals loss.
In the American League, the Baltimore Orioles are in control with a one-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays, while the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners are both within a game of a playoff spot.
Baltimore’s magic number to clinch a Wild Card spot is two. They need a win over the Yankees in New York plus a loss by either the Blue Jays (at Boston) or the Tigers (at Atlanta). Should the Orioles win and both Toronto and Detroit lose, then Baltimore would host the American League Wild Card Game, to be held on Tuesday night, Oct. 4 on TBS.
No other American League team can clinch a spot on Saturday, but the Mariners — winners of three straight — could be eliminated with a loss at home to Oakland and a win by Toronto.
Relevant Saturday schedule
All times ET
1:05 p.m.: Mets (Bartolo Colon) at Phillies (Phil Klein)
1:05 p.m.: Pirates (Chad Kuhl) at Cardinals (Michael Wacha)
4:05 p.m.: Orioles (Wade Miley) at Yankees (Luis Severino)
4:05 p.m.: Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw) at Giants (Ty Blach)
7:10 p.m.: Tigers (Jordan Zimmermann) at Braves (Aaron Blair)
7:10 p.m.: Blue Jays (J.A. Happ) at Red Sox (Eduardo Rodriguez)
9:10 p.m.: Athletics (Jharel Cotton) at Mariners (Hisashi Iwakuma)
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