Can it get any crazier? You better believe it can. The playoffs are less than a week away, and there are still several teams jockeying for a spot in the MLB postseason.
Among those still competing for a spot are the Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays, and Arizona Diamondbacks
That's right, you've got eight teams still alive for five spots. So, which teams enhanced their playoff chances after Thursday night and who's still got some work to do?
MLB postseason news: Orioles win AL East
For the first time since 2014, the Baltimore Orioles are the champions of the American League East. The Orioles took down their AL East rival, the Boston Red Sox, on Thursday night to capture the division crown and their 100th win of the season.
The O's are a great story. Excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Orioles had three consecutive seasons of 100 losses or more. But last season saw Baltimore do something they hadn't done since 2016 — post a winning record.
Last year's 83-79 season paved the way for the young stars in Baltimore to find success. Led by Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson with a rotation anchored by Kyle Bradish, the O's are in it to win it.
The Baltimore Orioles have now won their 10th AL East title. Furthermore, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will be on the outside looking in.
It appears as though the power has clearly shifted in the American League, and having a roster filled with young players under team controllable for the next several seasons, the future looks bright for the Orioles.
MLB postseason news: Cubs on the brink
Cubs fans don't want to hear this, but the playoffs might be out of reach. What seemed like a dream scenario about two weeks ago has turned into a nightmare for the Chicago faithful. The Cubs are now on the brink of elimination after being swept by the Atlanta Braves.
On Thursday night, the Cubs' playoff odds took another massive. After back-to-back heartbreaking losses, Chicago was unable to rally the troops after Marcus Stroman made it through just two innings after giving up four runs.
The Cubs have gone from controlling their own destiny to needing help in the worst way. The Miami Marlins, who own the tiebreaker over the Chicago Cubs, are now in the lead for the final spot in the NL Wild Card.
The Cubs have an upcoming series against the Milwaukee Brewers and have virtually no margin for error. There's no two ways about it; the Cubs have to sweep the Brewers this weekend if they want a spot in the MLB Postseason.
But even that might not be enough. The Arizona Diamondbacks are one win away from clinching a spot in the NL Wild Card, and with Miami holding the tiebreakers over Chicago, the Marlins' lead is essentially a game-and-a-half. Things don't look good for the folks in Wrigleyville.
MLB postseason news: Mariners keep hope alive with walk-off win
The Seattle Mariners just won't go quietly into the night. After dropping 2-of-3 to the Houston Astros, the Mariners were facing what amounted to a must-win game on Thursday night against the Texas Rangers.
With two outs in the ninth and the bases loaded, J.P. Crawford came up huge for the Mariners with a fly ball to left field that went over the outfielder's head and allowed two runs to score. The Mariners defeated the Rangers and are still in the chase for the MLB Postseason.
Texas has a two-game lead in the AL West with three games to play, but Seattle still has a chance to win the division. There's also the defending champion Houston Astros who are in the mix for both the AL West Championship and the AL Wild Card.
Confused yet? Yeah, me too. What it all boils down to is that four teams are battling it out for three spots. The Astros, Mariners, Rangers, and Toronto Blue Jays are all fighting for chance to make it to the MLB Postseason.
The Mariners and Rangers will continue their series tonight in Seattle while the Houston Astros go on the road to battle the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D'backs haven't wrapped up a playoff spot quite yet, so Torey Lovullo's club still has a lot to play for. The Blue Jays have to contend with the Tampa Bay Rays.
This year's MLB Postseason is shaping up to be a good one. Friday's action on the diamond is sure to be insane with so many teams making a run at the playoffs.
