So much can happen between now and the end of play on Sunday that it’s not really fruitful to talk about, but this is where the playoff picture stand right now.

First, here’s the format: The top two division winners get first-round byes and are the one and two seeds respectively. 

The third-best division winner is the number three seed.

Then, there are three wild card winners, seeded fourth, fifth, and sixth according to their won-lost record.

While the top two teams sit out, the third seed plays the sixth seed in a best-of-three series, all games played at the third seed’s home park. The fourth seed plays the fifth seed in a best-of-three series, with all three games played at the fourth seed’s home park

So, as it stands now, Tampa Bay and Cleveland are one and two, respectively. They would get first-round byes.

Texas is three. New York would be the number four seed. Boston the number five seed. Chicago the number six seed.

The Rangers would host the White Sox and the Yankees would host the Red Sox.

Of course, all of this can change in a day. Texas could not win the West, being only a game up right now. Cleveland could very easily not win the Central, being only a game up on Chicago right now.

But what is pretty much certain is that there won’t be a wild card team from the West. Both New York and Boston have their playoff slots locked in. The third is really up to who wins the Central and who comes in second.

Yes, Houston is three games out of the third wild card spot with six to play. So, they, are not mathematically elimiated. But they’d have to pretty much go 6-0 or at worst 5-1 to have a shot, and Cleveland and Chicago would have to go 0-6 or 1-5. So, as unlikely as it is for the Astros to get that third wild card, it’s equally unlikely that the Rangers would get it if they don’t win the West.

That’s the scenario for Texas. Win the West or go home. 

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