MLB playoffs 2016: Every postseason scenario possible entering Sunday

The New York Mets clinched a Wild Card spot on Saturday, but there is still so much to be determined on the final day of the MLB regular season schedule. We head into Sunday with six teams still alive for three Wild Card spots, plus a seeding issue for a pair of American League division winners.

With their 5-3 win in Philadelphia on Saturday, the Mets punched a return ticket to the postseason, securing the No. 1 Wild Card spot in the National League. That means the NL Wild Card Game will be held at Citi Field in New York on Wednesday night, with Noah Syndergaard on the hill.

The Mets on Wednesday will host either the San Francisco Giants or St. Louis Cardinals, a battle which might not be determined until Monday.

The Giants are in the driver’s seat for the second NL Wild Card spot, needing either a win at home over the Los Angeles Dodgers or a loss by the Cardinals to the Pittsburgh Pirates in St. Louis.

The Cardinals need both a win and a Giants loss on Sunday to pull even with San Francisco. That would force a one-game playoff for the second NL Wild Card spot, a regular season game that would be played on Monday in St. Louis if necessary, by virtue of the Cardinals beating the Giants in four of their seven meetings this season.

The American League, meanwhile, might literally take days to sort out.

Or things could be resolved on Sunday.

Both the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles are tied atop the AL Wild Card standings, and both have a magic number of one for a postseason berth. Both teams just need a win to clinch a Wild Card spot, or a loss by the Detroit Tigers.

The Seattle Mariners were eliminated with a loss to Oakland on Saturday night.

Should the Jays and Orioles tie, Toronto owns the tiebreaker and would host the American League Wild Card Game on Tuesday night at Rogers Centre.

But here’s where it gets complicated.

Should the Tigers win on Sunday against the Braves in Atlanta, and at least one of Baltimore or Toronto loses on Sunday, then Detroit will have to play on Monday at 1 p.m. ET, hosting the American League Central champion Indians to make up their rainout from Thursday.

That game would also be played Monday if it affects Cleveland’s potential home field advantage in the ALDS against the Boston Red Sox. The Indians (93-67) lead the Red Sox (93-68) by a half-game entering play on Sunday, and Boston owns the tiebreaker between the two teams. Should the Indians win and Red Sox lose on Sunday, and if Detroit is eliminated, the Monday game wouldn’t need to be played.

What the Tigers need is to beat Atlanta on Sunday and hope that at least one of Baltimore or Toronto loses. Then the Tigers need to beat the Indians on Monday to force chaos.

Detroit would be on the road for any one-game playoff with Baltimore or Toronto.

If there is a three-team tie between the Blue Jays, Orioles and Tigers for two Wild Card spots, the Tigers and Jays would battle Tuesday in Toronto for the top Wild Card spot, with the loser headed to play the Orioles on Wednesday for the second Wild Card spot. The Orioles had the option of choosing to play two road games — needing to win one to advance to the Wild Card Game — but instead chose to play once at home, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports and confirmed by Jon Morosi of MLB.com.

Such a scenario would push the AL Wild Card Game to Thursday, two days after it was originally scheduled, and the same day the ALDS was supposed to start.

But let’s get through Sunday first and see where we are at.

Another factor adding to the fun on Sunday is that all 15 games are scheduled for 3 p.m. ET, so just about every important game will be ending around the same time.

Dodgers (Kenta Maeda) at Giants (Matt Moore)

Pirates (Ryan Vogelsong) at Cardinals (Adam Wainwright)

Orioles (Kevin Gausman) at Yankees (Luis Cessa)

Blue Jays (Aaron Sanchez) at Red Sox (David Price)

Tigers (Justin Verlander) at Braves (Julio Teheran)