The 2025 MLB season is reaching the house stretch, and whereas the American League playoff area has largely taken form, every contender nonetheless has loads to play for.
Who has probably the most tough street? Which sequence could have the largest impression on the sphere as a complete? Who has probably the most to play for, and who can begin lining issues up for October? Right here’s a take a look at the place issues stand for every American League contender over the ultimate two weeks. Playoff odds are in response to Fangraphs as of Saturday morning.
Boston Crimson Sox
Remaining schedule: OFF, Athletics (3), at Rays (3), OFF, at Blue Jays (3), Tigers (3)
Playoff odds: 90.6%; AL East odds: 2%
The Crimson Sox have already got little probability of profitable the AL East, but when they need to give themselves a shot they’ll want to shut the hole over the following week main into their big sequence in Toronto. A technique or one other, these video games will decide whether or not or not the Crimson Sox can catch the Blue Jays.
Contemplating how mild Toronto and New York’s remaining schedules are, Boston can’t depend on their opponents tripping up, so it’ll be essential that they care for enterprise in opposition to the Athletics and Rays.
If the AL East crown slips away, then the Crimson Sox’s subsequent aim must be ensuring their remaining sequence in opposition to the Tigers is as meaningless as potential. Boston’s probably playoff consequence is a Wild Card sequence in opposition to the Yankees, so if that’s already locked up then the Crimson Sox can line up their rotation, relaxation Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito for the ultimate weekend and kit up for his or her first playoff run since 2021.
Toronto Blue Jays
Remaining schedule: at Rays (4), at Royals (3), OFF, Crimson Sox (3), Rays (3)
Playoff odds: 100%; AL East odds: 81.7%
If we’re being trustworthy, the Blue Jays actually solely have to do two issues and the AL East title might be theirs. One: Deal with enterprise on this week’s street journey to Tampa and Kansas Metropolis. And two: When the Crimson Sox come to city, don’t get swept.
Until the Crimson Sox can shut the hole to 1 sport, even one win by Toronto will most likely be sufficient to offer the Blue Jays the daylight they want. Toronto has already clinched the season sequence and owns the tiebreaker, so the Crimson Sox might want to leap them within the standings to steal the division title away.
At this level the Yankees are a way more reasonable menace, however at this level it’s secure to say the AL East is Toronto’s to lose.
New York Yankees
Remaining schedule: at Twins (3), at Orioles (4), OFF, White Sox (3), Orioles (3)
Playoff odds: 99.5%; AL East odds: 16.3%
Inconsistent because the Yankees have been for lengthy stretches of the season, they need to actually have the ability to cruise into the playoffs with none issues.
New York’s schedule during the last two weeks is a joke. The Yankees play seven video games in opposition to the last-place Orioles and three video games every in opposition to the Twins and White Sox, two of the worst groups in baseball.
That mild slate is the explanation why the Yankees nonetheless have a practical shot at taking the AL East title, although the Blue Jays have been demonstratively the higher workforce for almost all of the season.
Detroit Tigers
Remaining schedule: OFF, Guardians (3), Braves (3), OFF, at Guardians (3), at Crimson Sox (3)
Playoff odds: 99.8%; AL Central odds: 99.3%
Of all of the AL groups with playoff aspirations, the Tigers have the least to fret about so far as playoff seeding. They’ve lengthy had the AL Central title locked up and will comfortably earn one of many two byes to the divisional spherical.
However the well being of Tarik Skubal looms giant.
Friday night time the presumptive AL Cy Younger favourite left his begin with tightness in his left facet, and whereas subsequent testing got here again clear, the Tigers will nonetheless probably take issues day-to-day with their ace, who the membership can’t afford to be with out if the Tigers hope to go anyplace in October.
Within the meantime, the Tigers may even have an opportunity to impression a number of different groups within the hunt. That final weekend in Boston will most likely imply nothing to Detroit, so it’s simple to think about the Tigers resting their starters and gearing up for the playoffs. But when they don’t, they might nonetheless derail the Crimson Sox’s hopes of internet hosting a Wild Card sequence.
Cleveland Guardians
Remaining schedule: OFF, at Tigers (3), at Twins (4), OFF, Tigers (3), Rangers (3)
Playoff odds: 7.9%; AL Central odds: 0.2%
The Tigers may even play a decisive function within the Guardians’ playoff push. Cleveland has finished an important job preventing again into the hunt, however the Guardians nonetheless face lengthy odds and their six remaining video games in opposition to Detroit are an enormous motive why.
If the Guardians can not less than tread water in opposition to the Tigers, they may have an opportunity. The Twins have cratered since promoting off half their workforce on the commerce deadline, and that remaining sequence in opposition to the Rangers might have probably large implications.
Finest case state of affairs the Guardians and Rangers may very well be taking part in for the third and remaining Wild Card spot, however for that to occur each golf equipment will want a bit outdoors assist.
Seattle Mariners
Remaining schedule: OFF, at Royals (3), at Astros (3), OFF, Rockies (3), Dodgers (3)
Playoff odds: 92.8%; AL West odds: 57%
The Mariners aren’t any strangers to expensive late-season collapses, and after going 6-15 between Aug. 13 and Sept. 5 it was beginning to seem like deja vu once more in Seattle.
Then the Mariners ripped off seven straight wins getting into Saturday, and now it seems to be like they is likely to be within the driver’s seat for the AL West.
Later this week the Mariners have a chance to ship a probably deadly blow to the Astros, shoring up their very own playoff odds whereas placing Houston’s season in actual hazard.
The difficulty is that if that sequence goes sideways, the Mariners might nonetheless discover themselves in a dogfight with the Rangers and Guardians for the final playoff spot. Ought to that come to cross, having the Rockies come to city might be a serious boon, however that remaining weekend of the season in opposition to the Dodgers may very well be very uncomfortable.
Houston Astros
Remaining schedule: Rangers (3), OFF, Mariners (3), OFF, at Athletics (3), at Angels (3)
Playoff odds: 76.7%; AL West odds: 38.1%
At one level in July the Astros held a seven-game lead within the AL West standings, however now they discover themselves in a lifeless warmth for the division title.
Frankly, Houston is fortunate Seattle had that dangerous stretch or the Mariners might have already run away with the AL West.
Both manner, this week the Astros have a chance to separate themselves and retake management of the race. First, Houston has an opportunity to deal a knockout blow to Texas’s AL West aspirations, after which they’ll do the identical to the Mariners. Serving to issues for the Astros, each of these sequence are at residence.
If Houston nonetheless leads the AL West by this time subsequent week, the membership will simply need to navigate six winnable video games in opposition to the Athletics and Angels to clinch their ninth division title in 10 years. The Astros nonetheless management their very own future, however actually, they shouldn’t even have ever let issues get so far.
Texas Rangers
Remaining schedule: at Astros (3), OFF, Marlins (3), OFF, Twins (3), at Guardians (3)
Playoff odds: 32.1%; AL West odds: 4.8%
Give Texas a number of credit score. As just lately as Aug. 28 the membership’s playoff odds stood as little as 4.8%. Now, after profitable 5 straight getting into Saturday, the Rangers have an actual shot at crashing the social gathering and stealing the AL West crown.
Just like the Guardians, the Rangers don’t have a lot room for error, however they do have necessary alternatives to make up floor.
First, they need to beat the Astros this week. Then, they need to take as many video games as potential from the Marlins and Twins, which must be doable. Lastly, they’ll head to Cleveland to face a Guardians workforce that very properly could also be taking part in for its personal playoff life.
Alongside the way in which Texas must hope Seattle slips up, or else that remaining weekend in Cleveland might wind up being meaningless. Nonetheless, that’s higher than the Rangers might have hoped for 2 weeks again, so proper now their solely focus must be on profitable and letting the chips fall as they could.
