MILWAUKEE — With the MLB regular season down to 2 1/2 weeks, we have some good pennant races going on.
The Metz remain just a game ahead of the Braves in the AL East after both clubs won on Saturday, and the Blue Jays lead the AL East Yankeeswhose lead enters Sunday at 4 1/2 games after being 6 1/2 over the weekend.
Probably the best race is the race for the last two NL Wild Card spots. Through Saturday Phyllis, the Padres and Brewers are separated by just two games. The Brewers are currently the odd man out, but they’re just 1 1/2 games out of the third Wild Card by winning Yankees on Friday and Saturday evenings.
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Here’s a look at the magic numbers plus the remaining schedules for the contenders through Saturday, Sept. 17, along with playoff games when the postseason begins Sunday:
AL-USKHOD
NEW YORK YANKEES (87-58)
Tournament standings: First in the AL East. The second-place Blue Jays lead by 4.5 games.
Magic number to win the AL East: 13.
The magic number to reach the playoffs: 6.
Games left: 17 (9 house, 8 road).
Yankees schedule:
September 18: at Pivavarov (1)
September 20-21: Pirates (2)
September 22-25: Red Sox (4)
September 26-28: at Blue Jays (3)
September 30-Oct. 2: Orioles (3)
October 3-5: at Rangers (4)
* * *
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (83-63)
Tournament standings: Second in the AL East. 4.5 games behind the first place Yankees. The Rays lead by 1.5 games for the first AL Wild Card. Lead the Mariners by 2 games and the Orioles by 7 games for the third AL Wild Card.
The magic number to reach the playoffs: 11.
Games left: 16 (7 house, 9 road).
Blue Jays schedule:
September 18: Orioles (1)
Sept. 20-21: at Phillies (2)
September 22-25: on the rays (4)
September 26-28: Yankees (3)
September 30-Oct. 2: Red Sox (3)
September 3-5: at Orioles (3)
* * *
TAMPA BAY RAISE (81-64)
Tournament standings: Third in the AL East. 6 games behind the first place Yankees. 0.5 game ahead of the Mariners for the second AL Wild Card. The Orioles lead by 5.5 games for the third AL Wild Card. Trail the Blue Jays by 1.5 games for the first AL Wild Card.
The magic number to reach the playoffs: 13.
Games left: 17 (8 house, 9 road).
Beam schedule:
September 18: Rangers (1)
September 19-21: Astros (3)
September 22-25: Blue Jays (4)
September 27-29: at Guardians (3)
September 30-Oct. 2: at Astros (3)
Sept. 3-5: at Red Sox (3)
* * *
BALTIMORE EVOLVES (75-69)
Tournament standings: Fourth in the AL East. 11.5 games behind the first place Yankees. Trail Mariners within 5 games of the third AL Wild Card.
Games left: 18 (10 houses, 8 roads).
Orioles schedule:
Sept. 18: at Blue Jays (1)
September 19-21: Tigers (3)
September 22-25: Astros (4)
September 26-29: Red Sox (4)
September 30-Oct. 2: at Yankees (3)
September 3-5: Blue Jays (3)
* * *
AL CENTRAL
CLEVELAND GUARDIANS (79-66)
Tournament standings: First in the AL Central. The second-place White Sox lead by 4.5 games.
Magic number to win the AL Central: 13.
Games left: 17 (11 houses, 6 roads).
Schedule of guardians:
September 18-19: Gemini (2)
September 20-22: White Sox (3)
September 23-25: at Rangers (3)
September 27-29: Rays (3)
September 30-Oct. 5: The Royal Family (6)
* * *
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (75-71)
Tournament standings: Second in the AL Central. 4.5 games behind the first place Guardians. Trail Mariners in 6 games, 3rd AL Wild Card.
Games left: 17 (10 houses, 7 roads).
White Sox schedule:
September 17-18: at Tigers (2)
September 20-22: Guardians (3)
September 23-25: Tigers (3)
September 27-29: in Gemini (3)
September 30-Oct. 2: at Padres (3)
October 3-5: Gemini (3)
* * *
MINNESOTA TWINS (72-73)
Tournament standings: Third in the AL Central. They trail the first place Guardians by 7 games. Trailing the Mariners by 8.5 games for the third AL Wild Card.
Games left: 17 (6 houses, 11 roads).
Gemini schedule:
September 18-19: at Guardians (2)
September 20-22: at Royals (3)
September 23-25: Angels (3)
September 27-29: White Sox (3)
September 30-Oct. 2: at Tigers (3)
Oct. 3-5: at White Sox (3)
* * *
AL WEST
HOUSTON ASTRAS (95-51)
Tournament standings: First in the AL West. Lead the second-place Mariners by 14 games.
Magic number to win the AL West: 3.
The magic number to reach the playoffs: Winner on September 16.
Games left: 16 (9 house, 7 road).
Astros schedule:
September 18: athletics (1)
September 19-21: on the rays (3)
September 22-25: in Orioles (4)
September 27-28: Diamondbacks (2)
September 30-Oct. 2: Rays (3)
October 3-5: Phyllis (3)
* * *
SEATTLE MARINERS (80-64)
Tournament standings: Second in the AL West. Trailing the first place Astros by 14 games. The Orioles lead by 5 games for the third AL Wild Card.
Trailing the Blue Jays by 2 games for the first AL Wild Card. Trail Rays game at 0.5 for second AL Wild Card.
The magic number to reach the playoffs: 14.
Games left: 18 (10 houses, 8 roads).
Schedule of sailors:
September 18-19: on Angels (2)
September 20-22: athletics (3)
September 23-25: at Royals (3)
September 27-29: Rangers (3)
September 30-Oct. 2: Athletics (3)
October 3-5: Tigers (4)
* * *
NL EAST
NEW YORK METS (92-55)
Tournament standings: First in the NL East. Leads Braves by 1 game.
Magic number to win the NL East: 16.
The magic number to reach the playoffs: 4.
Games left: 15 (6 house, 9 road).
Mets schedule:
September 18: Pirates (1)
September 19-21: in Pivavarov (3)
September 23-25: athletics (3)
September 27-28: Marlins (2)
September 30-Oct. 2: at Braves (3)
October 3-5: National (3)
* * *
ATLANTA BRAVES (90-55)
Tournament standings: Second in the NL East. 1 game behind the first place Mets. Leads Phillies by 10 games for first NL Wild Card. Lead the Padres by 10.5 games and the Brewers by 12 games for the third NL Wild Card.
The magic number to reach the playoffs: 6.
Games left: 17 (7 house, 10 road).
Braves schedule:
September 18: Phyllis (1)
September 19-21: National (3)
Sept. 22-25: at Phillies (4)
September 26-28: National (3)
September 30-Oct. 2: Metz (3)
Oct. 3-5: at Marlins (3)
* * *
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (80-65)
Tournament standings: Third in the NL East. 11 games behind the first place Mets. 0.5 game ahead of the Padres for the second NL Wild Card. Lead the Brewers by 2 games for the third NL Wild Card. Braves 20 game chase for first NL Wild Card.
The magic number to reach the playoffs: 15.
Games left: 17 (6 houses, 11 roads).
Phillies schedule:
Sept. 18: at Braves (1)
September 20-21: Blue Jays (2)
September 22-25: Brave (4)
Sept. 27-28: at Cubs (3)
September 30-Oct. 2: on the national (4)
October 3-5: at Houston (3)
* * *
NL CENTRAL
St. LOUIS CARDINALS (87-60)
Tournament standings: First in the NL Central. The second place Brewers lead by 8 games.
Magic number to win the NL Central: 9.
Games left: 15 (4 houses, 11 road).
Cardinals schedule:
September 18: Reds (1)
September 20-22: at Padres (3)
September 23-25: at Dodgers (3)
September 27-28: in Pivavarov (2)
September 30-Oct. 2: Pirates (3)
October 3-5: at Pirates (3)
* * *
MILWAUKEE BREWERS (78-67)
Tournament standings: Second in the NL Central. 8 games behind the first place Cardinals. Trailing the Padres by 1.5 games for the third NL Wild Card.
Games left: 17 (13 houses, 4 roads).
Brewers schedule:
September 18: Yankees (1)
September 19-21: Metz (3)
September 22-25: at Reds (4)
September 27-28: Cardinals (2)
September 29-Oct. 2: Marlins (4)
Oct. 3-5: Diamondbacks (3)
* * *
NL WEST
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (100-44)
Tournament standings: First in the NL West. The second-place Padres have a 21-game lead.
Magic number to win the NL West: Winner on September 14.
Games left: 19 (14 houses, 5 roads).
Dodgers schedule:
September 18: at Giants (1)
September 19-22: Diamondbacks (5)
September 23-25: Cardinals (3)
September 27-29: at Padres (3)
September 30-Oct. 5: Rocky Mountains (6)
* * *
SAN DIEGO PADRES (80-66)
Tournament standings: Second in the NL West. Trailing the first place Dodgers by 21 games. Brewers lead by 1.5 games for third NL Wild Card. Trailing the Phillies by 0.5 games for the second NL Wild Card.
The magic number to reach the playoffs: 16.
Games left: 16 (12 houses, 4 roads).
Padres schedule:
Sept. 18: at Diamondbacks (1)
September 20-22: Cardinals (3)
September 23-25: in the Rocky Mountains (3)
September 27-29: Dodgers (3)
September 30-Oct. 2: White Sox (3)
October 3-5: Giants (3)
* * *
CURRENT POSTSEASON MATCHES
AL WILD CARD SERIAL (best of 3)
Houston Astros (1), New York Yankees (2) bye.
Seattle Mariners (6) at Cleveland Guardians (3).
Tampa Bay Rays (5) at Toronto Blue Jays (4).
NL WILD CARD SERIES (Best of 3)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1), New York Mets (2) bye.
San Diego Padres (6) at St. Louis Cardinals (3).
Philadelphia Phillies (5) at Atlanta Braves (4).
Note: Higher seed will host all games (October 7-9).
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Randy Miller can be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.
