NEW YORK — An American League Central showdown series will highlight the start of the final two weeks of MLB’s regular season.
The first-place Chicago White Sox open a three-game series in Cleveland on Monday night against the second-place Guardians, who trail by just a half game. The White Sox lead the season series 6-4, so one victory will secure the tiebreaker.
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Also Monday, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers can clinch playoff berths.
The Yankees will be in with a win over the Twins in Minnesota or a Toronto Blue Jays loss at home to the Detroit Tigers. The Yankees, who hold the first wild card position, are four games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.
The Dodgers, whose magic number to clinch a playoff spot is one, begin a series in Cincinnati on Monday night.
The AL West race is very tight with the Houston Astros up one game on the Texas Rangers, who are home for nine of their final 12 games. The Astros won the season series 9-4 and the teams do not meet again.
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On Monday, the Rangers begin a series against the Boston Red Sox in Arlington, Texas while the Astros are home for a series opener with the Kansas City Royals.
Here are MLB magic numbers, remaining schedules and tiebreakers for contenders through Monday, Sept. 13, along with playoff matchups if Wild Card Series began Monday, Sept. 14.
Standings: First in AL East. Lead second-place Yankees 4 games.
Tiebreakers: Season series with Red Sox tied 5-5; Rays lead season series with Yankees 6-3; Rays won season series with Blue Jays 9-4; Rays won season series with Guardians 5-1; Rays won season series with Rangers 4-3.
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Magic number to clinch AL East: 10
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched Sept. 11.
Games remaining: 13 (6 home, 7 road).
Rays schedule:
Sept. 15-17: Athletics (3)
Sept. 18-20: Red Sox (3)
Sept. 22-24: at Yankees (4)
Sept. 25-27: at Phillies (3)
Standings: Second in AL East. Trail first-place Rays by 4 games. First in AL wild-card standings. Lead Red Sox by 4.5 games for first AL wild card. Lead Blue Jays by 11.5 games for third wild card.
Tiebreakers: Yankees trail season series with Rays 6-3; Yankees won season series Red Sox 7-6; Yankees won season series with Blue Jays 7-6; Yankees won season series with Guardians 4-2; Yankees won season series with Rangers 4-2.
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Magic number to clinch playoffs: 1
Games remaining: 13 (6 home, 7 road).
Yankees schedule:
Sept. 14-16: at Twins (3)
Sept. 18-20: at Diamondbacks (3)
Sept. 22-24: Rays (4)
Sept. 25-27: Orioles (3)
Standings: Third in AL East. Trail first-place Rays by 8.5 games. Second in AL wild-card standings. Trail Yankees by 4.5 games for first AL wild card. Lead Blue Jays by 7 games for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Red Sox lost season series with Blue Jays 9-4; Red Sox lead season series with Guardians 2-1; Red Sox lead season series with Orioles 7-4; Red Sox season series with Rays tied 5-5; Red Sox lost season series with Yankees 7-6.
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Magic number to clinch playoffs: 6
Games remaining: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Red Sox schedule:
Sept. 15-17: at Rangers (3)
Sept. 18-20: at Rays (3)
Sept. 22-24: Guardians (3)
Sept. 25-27: Cubs (3)
Standings: Fourth in AL East. Trail first-place Rays by 15.5 games. Fourth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Guardians by 1 game for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Blue Jays split season series with Astros 3-3; Blue Jays won season series with Guardians 4-2; Blue Jays trail season series with Mariners 2-1; Blue Jays trail season series with Rangers 4-0; Blue Jays won season series with Red Sox 9-4.
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Magic number for playoffs elimination: 12
Games remaining: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Blue Jays schedule:
Sept. 14-16: Tigers (3)
Sept. 19-21: at Rangers (3)
Sept. 21-23: at Orioles (3)
Sept. 25-27: Reds (3)
Standings: Fifth in AL East. Trail first-place Rays by 18.5 games. Sixth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Guardians by 4 games for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Orioles won season series with Astros 5-1; Orioles lost season series with Guardians 4-3; Orioles lost season series with Rangers 4-2; Orioles trail season series with Red Sox 7-4.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 8
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Games remaining: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Orioles schedule:
Sept. 15-16: at Mets (3)
Sept. 18-20: Brewers (3)
Sept. 21-23: Blue Jays (3)
Sept. 25-27: at Yankees (3)
Standings: First in AL Central. Lead second-place Guardians by 0.5 games.
Tiebreakers: White Sox lost season series with Astros 4-2; White Sox won season series with Blue Jays 5-1; White Sox lead season series with Guardians 6-4; White Sox split season series with Mariners 3-3; White Sox lost season series to Yankees 4-3; White Sox lost season series to Rays 4-2; White Sox lost season series to Red Sox 6-0; White Sox won season series with Twins 8-5.
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Magic number to clinch AL Central: 13
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 11
Remaining games: 13 (7 home, 6 road).
White Sox schedule:
Sept. 14-16: at Guardians (3)
Sept. 17-20: Tigers (4)
Sept. 22-24: at Royals (3)
Sept. 25-27: Rockies (3)
Standings: Second in AL Central. Trail first-place White Sox by 0.5 games. Third in AL wild-card standings. Lead Blue Jays by 1 game for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Guardians lost season series with Blue Jays 4-2; Guardians won season series with Orioles 4-2; Guardians lost season series with Rangers 4-2; Guardians trail season series with Red Sox 2-1; Guardians trail season series with White Sox 6-4.
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Magic number to clinch playoffs: 12
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Guardians schedule:
Sept. 14-16: White Sox (3)
Sept. 18-20: Athletics (3)
Sept. 22-24: at Red Sox (3)
Sept. 25-27: at Royals (3)
Standings: Tied with Tigers for third in AL Central. Trail first-place White Sox by 6 games. Tied with Tigers for seventh in AL wild-card standings. Trail Guardians by 5.5 games for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Twins won season series with Astros 4-2; Twins lead season series with Guardians 7-5; Twins won season series with Tigers 8-5; Twins lead season series with Rangers 3-0; Twins lost season series with White Sox 8-5.
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Magic number for playoffs elimination: 8
Remaining games: 13 (6 home, 7 road).
Twins schedule:
Sept. 14-16: Yankees (3)
Sept. 17-20: at Angels (4)
Sept. 21-23: at Giants (3)
Sept. 25-27: Rangers (3)
Standings: Tied with Twins for third in AL Central. Trail first-place White Sox by 6 games. Tied with Twins for seventh in AL wild-card standings. Trail Guardians by 5.5 games for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Tigers lost season series with Astros 5-2; Tigers lost season series with Guardians 10-3; Tigers lost season series with Twins 8-5; Tigers trail season series with White Sox 6-3.
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Magic number for playoffs elimination: 8
Remaining games: 13 (6 home, 6 road).
Tigers schedule:
Sept. 14-16: at Blue Jays (3)
Sept. 17-20: at White Sox (4)
Sept. 21-23: Nationals (3)
Sept. 25-27: Tigers (3)
Standings: First in AL West. Lead second-place Rangers by 1 game.
Tiebreakers: Astros lost season series with Mariners 9-2; Astros lost season series with Orioles 5-1; Astros won season series with Rangers 9-4; Astros lost season series with Red Sox 5-1; Astros won season series with White Sox 4-2.
Magic number to clinch AL West: 11
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 11
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
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Astros schedule:
Sept. 15-17: Royals (3)
Sept. 18-20: Braves (3)
Sept. 22-23: at Mariners (2)
Sept. 24-27: at Athletics (4)
Standings: Second in AL West. Trail first-place Astros by 1 game. Fifth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Guardians by 2 games for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Rangers lost season series with Astros 9-4; Rangers won season series with Mariners 8-5; Rangers won season series with Guardians 4-2; Rangers lead season series with Blue Jays 4-0.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 11
Remaining games: 12 (9 home, 3 road).
Rangers schedule:
Sept. 15-17: Red Sox (3)
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Sept. 18-20: Blue Jays (3)
Sept. 22-24: Mets (3)
Sept. 25-27: at Twins (3)
Standings: Third in AL West. Trail first-place Astros by 5 games. Eighth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Guardians by 6 games for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Mariners won season series with Astros 9-2; Mariners lost season series with Guardians 4-3; Mariners lost season series with Rangers 8-5.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 8
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Mariners schedule:
Sept. 14-16: at Angels (3)
Sept. 18-20: at Rockies (3)
Sept. 22-23: Astros (2)
Sept. 24-27: Angels (4)
Standings: First in NL East. Lead second-place Phillies by 5 games.
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Tiebreakers: Braves won season series with Phillies 9-4; Braves won season series with Dodgers 5-1; Braves lost season series with Diamondbacks 4-3; Braves lost season series with Padres 4-3.
Magic number to clinch NL East: 7
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 6
Remaining games: 12 (3 home, 9 road)
Braves schedule:
Sept. 14-16: at Cubs (3)
Sept. 18-20: at Astros (3)
Sept. 22-24: Reds (3)
Sept. 25-27: at Marlins (3)
Standings: Second in NL East. Trail first-place Braves by 5 games. Tied with Cubs for first in NL wild-card standings. Lose tiebreaker with Cubs for first NL wild card. Lead Diamondbacks by 4 games for third NL wild card.
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Tiebreakers: Phillies lost season series with Braves 9-4; Phillies lost season series with Cubs 6-1; Phillies split season series with Diamondbacks 3-3; Phillies won season series with Padres 6-0.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 9
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Phillies schedule:
Sept. 15-16: at Nationals (2)
Sept. 17-20: at Mets (4)
Sept. 22-24: Brewers (3)
Sept. 25-27: Rays (3)
Standings: First in NL Central. Lead second-place Cubs by 10 games.
Tiebreakers: Brewers won season series with Cubs 9-4; Brewers won season series with Dodgers 4-3; Brewers won season series with Diamondbacks 4-2; Brewers lost season series with Padres 4-2.
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Magic number to clinch NL Central: 3
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched Sept. 11
Remaining games: 13 (4 home, 9 road).
Brewers schedule:
Sept. 15-17: at Pirates (3)
Sept. 18-20: at Orioles (3)
Sept. 22-24: at Phillies (3)
Sept. 25-27: Cardinals (3)
Standings: Second in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 10 games. Tied with Phillies for first in NL wild-card standings. Win tiebreaker with Phillies for 1st NL wild card; Lead Diamondbacks by 4 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Cubs lost season series with Brewers 9-4; Cubs won season series with Phillies 6-1; Cubs won season series with Diamondbacks 4-2; Cubs won season series with Padres 5-1.
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Magic number to clinch playoffs: 8
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Cubs schedule:
Sept. 14-16: Braves (3)
Sept. 18-20: at Reds (3)
Sept. 22-24: Marlins (3)
Sept. 25-27: at Red Sox (3)
Standings: First in NL West. Lead second-place Padres by 9 games.
Tiebreakers: Dodgers trail season series with Braves 2-1; Dodgers lost season series with Brewers 4-3; Dodgers lost season series with Diamondbacks 7-6; Dodgers lead season series with Padres 7-3.
Magic number to clinch NL West: 3
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 1
Remaining games: 13 (5 home, 8 road).
Dodgers schedule:
Sept. 14-17: at Reds (4)
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Sept. 18-20: Giants (3)
Sept. 22-24: Padres (3)
Sept. 25-27: at Giants (3)
Standings: Second in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 9 games. Third in NL wild-card standings. Lead Diamondbacks by 2.5 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Padres trail season series with Dodgers 7-3; Season series with Diamondbacks tied 5-5; Padres lost season series with Phillies 6-0; Padres lost season series with Cubs 5-1.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 11
Remaining games: 13 (6 home, 7 road).
Padres schedule:
Sept. 14-17: at Rockies (4)
Sept. 18-20: Marlins (3)
Sept. 22-24: at Dodgers (3)
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Sept. 25-27: Diamondbacks (3)
Standings: Third in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 11.5 games. Fourth in NL wild-card standings. Trail Padres by 2.5 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Season series with Padres tied 5-5; Diamondbacks won season series with Dodgers 7-6; Diamondbacks split season series with Phillies 3-3; Diamondbacks lost season series with Cubs 4-2.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 11
Remaining games: 12 (6 home, 6 road).
Diamondbacks schedule:
Sept. 14-16: Marlins (3)
Sept. 18-20: Yankees (3)
Sept. 22-24: at Rockies (3)
Sept. 25-27: at Padres (3)
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Rays (1), White Sox (2) byes
Guardians (6) at Astros (3)
Red Sox (5) at Yankees (4)
Brewers (1), Dodgers (2) byes
Padres (6) at Braves (3)
Phillies (5) at Cubs (4)
Note: Higher seed will host all Wild Card Series games from Sept. 29 through Oct. 1.
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