We have not one, but two (!!) playoff spots through Game 162. One race that was decided Saturday was the AL Central. The Guardians won and the White Sox lost, winning the division for Cleveland.
1. Phillies face victory and storyline
The race for the NL Wild Card seemed all but over heading into the final week of the season. The Padres, Cubs and Phillies were sprinting toward the finish line, with standings the only question. This is no longer the case. Philadelphia has lost four games in a row, including a blowout home loss to the Rays last night. Arizona was on a six-game winning streak heading into Saturday, but fell to San Diego. If the Phillies beat the Rays today, they can avoid a massive collapse and punch their ticket to the playoffs. If Philly loses and the D-Backs win, Arizona will be in the game.
2. AL West will be decided on Sunday
The Rangers and Astros remain deadlocked atop the AL West after Saturday’s wins. Houston holds the tiebreaker. The two clubs are at 80-81. The division winner will have the worst record for a playoff team in MLB history (with ESPN’s Jeff Passan). The Astros bring back Pierre Lambert start with a short rest. He was knocked down for four earned runs in 2 2/3 innings Thursday. Lambert will get another chance in the A’s lineup, at least for a few innings. The Rangers will look to MacKenzie Gore against the Twins.
3. Goodman throws the 40th HR
The Rockies played the role of spoiler yesterday, beating the White Sox to seal the AL Central for the Guardians. Recipient Hunter Goodman led the way with two homers. His first explosion was 40th place of the season. Goodman is the first Rockie since Nolan Arenado in 2019 to reach 40 circuits. He delivered a strong follow-up campaign to his 2025 season. Goodman plays in the most favorable hitting environment in the sport, but he’s actually been better on the road this year. He hit 25 of his 41 home runs away from Coors Field. Goodman’s OPS is nearly 100 points higher on the road.
Photo courtesy of Bill Streicher, Imagn Images
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