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With the minor-league season over and our typical 8:00 AM slot suddenly open, I figured it would be worthwhile to take a quick daily look at how the playoff picture has changed in the American League on a day-to-day basis. This will be nothing fancy. Just a look at how playoff contenders did on the day, how it affected the standings and what it means for the Red Sox. I’ll consider any team within five games of a playoff spot as a postseason contender. It is entirely possible this threshold will disappear completely as soon as tomorrow.
Scores
MIN 10, DET 4
TOR 9, NYY 5
BOS 5, CIN 4
CLE 4, SEA 2
LAA 7, HOU 5
Playoff Odds
| Team | Fangraphs | Baseball Prospectus |
|---|---|---|
| Team | Fangraphs | Baseball Prospectus |
| Red Sox | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Indians | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Astros | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Yankees | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Twins | 97.70% | 99.00% |
| Angels | 2.00% | 0.90% |
Division Odds
| Team | Fangraphs | Baseball Prospectus |
|---|---|---|
| Team | Fangraphs | Baseball Prospectus |
| Red Sox | 99.60% | 99.60% |
| Indians | 100.00% | 100% |
| Astros | 100.00% | 100% |
| Yankees | 0.40% | 0.40% |
| Twins | 0.00% | 0% |
| Angels | 0% | 0% |
Playoff Picture Update
There is very little intrigue left in the American League. The Red Sox winning and the Yankees losing put a massive dent in any chance of a changing of the guard in the American League East, meaning all three divisions are wrapped up. There is also the fact that Minnesota just keeps winning, meaning they have all but locked up the second wildcard spot. The Angels still have some chance, but it’d take a miracle at this point. With Cleveland winning and Houston losing, the chances of a change in the top seed has also decreased. Everything is boring here is what I’m saying. In the National League, the Cubs opened up a 5.5 game lead over Milwaukee in the Central, though the Brewers are still within two for the wildcard.