Race to the Playoffs: 9/27

>>> No team had a better Wednesday than the Detroit Tigers. Their starter Doug Fister set an AL record by striking out nine consecutive batters against the Royals, and though they initially blew a 4-0 lead, they pulled out the win in the bottom of the ninth. Detroit now moves to two games up in the AL Central. Some cold water was splashed over the Tigers' momentum though due to continued concerns over Max Scherzer's health.

>>> Detroit has managed to seize control of the division thanks to thoroughly uninspiring baseball from the Chicago White Sox, who have lost eight of nine after dropping the series opener to the Rays 4-3. Jake Peavy kept the Rays in check; the problem was the spluttering offense, which loaded the bases with nobody out on two separate occasions and only got one run in each time. This nasty slump has the White Sox on the playoff periphery.

>>> The anti-White Sox are the Tampa Bay Rays, who won their eighth consecutive game behind Evan Longoria's tie-breaking home run in the top of the ninth. They're only two back of the Athletics now. This hot streak has put them into a situation where they control their own destiny: if they win out, including a sweep of the Orioles, they'll be a wild card team. For the second straight year, Tampa's getting hot at the right time.

>>> As for the rest of the AL East, the Baltimore Orioles had an off day before facing the Red Sox this weekend and the New York Yankees dropped the opener of a four-game set to Toronto, 6-0. New York's magic number for a playoff spot sits at three and Baltimore's is at four, so both of these teams are likely headed to the postseason. They're separated by a game in the AL East.

>>> Speaking of the Oakland Athletics, they were outslugged by the Texas Rangers, 9-7. Texas' lead in the AL West is back to four games and their focus can shift to getting Yu Darvish healthy. The A's split their series against Texas, concluding a brutal stretch against the Tigers, Yankees, and Rangers. They emerged from it with their hold on the second wild card intact, though the lead over both the Rays and the Angels is down to two games. Their reward: a series against the Mariners.

>>> Those very same Mariners foiled the attempts of the Los Angeles Angels to inch even closer to the A's. They stomped the Angels 9-4, keeping them two games back of Oakland. Now LA must travel to Texas, where they can't afford to lose.

>>> The Cincinnati Reds essentially eliminated the Milwaukee Brewers from playoff contention by rallying with two outs in the ninth inning for a 2-1 victory. Still, the Brewers' late charge was admirable and brought Ryan Braun some much-deserved MVP attention. The Washington Nationals also won, staying a game ahead of Cincy for the best record in the NL.

>>> The NL wild card situation didn't change much, even with a victory by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Padres. They're still three games behind the St. Louis Cardinals, so it will take a major collapse for another team to wrestle that spot from St. Louis.