AL Wild Card Tiebreakers: What Happens If We Have Four-Way Tie After Sunday?
Getty Images. Pictured: Boston’s Hunter Renfroe, New York’s Giancarlo Stanton, Toronto’s Teoscar Hernandez and Seattle’s J.P. Crawford
Sunday is here and we've got an opportunity for the ultimate chaotic scenario in the Major League Baseball’s American League wild-card race.
Currently, the Yankees and Red Sox are tied atop the wild-card standings, with the Blue Jays and Mariners one game behind.
Here is every possible outcome Sunday, including possible tiebreaker scenarios.
Scenario 1: Red Sox & Yankees Win
This one is simple. If the Red Sox and Yankees both win, they will be the two playoff teams and play the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday in Boston. What Toronto and Seattle do will be meaningless.
Scenario 2: All Four Teams Lose
If this is the case, the standings will remain as you see them today. The Red Sox and Yankees will be the two playoff teams and play the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday in Boston.
Scenario 3: Red Sox Win, Yankees Lose, Mariners Lose, Blue Jays Win
In this scenario, the Red Sox would be the top wild-card team. The Yankees and Blue Jays would play a one-game playoff on Monday, with the winner advancing to face Boston in the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday.
Scenario 4: Red Sox Win, Yankees Lose, Mariners Win, Blue Jays Lose
The above scenario would take place, except with Seattle in Toronto's place. The Mariners and Yankees would play a one-game playoff Monday, with the winner advancing to face Boston in the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday.
Scenario 5: Red Sox Lose, Yankees Win, Mariners Lose, Blue Jays Win
The Yankees would have the top wild-card spot. The Red Sox and Blue Jays would play a one-game playoff Monday, with the winner advancing to face New York in the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday.
Scenario 6: Red Sox Lose, Yankees Win, Mariners Win, Blue Jays Lose
Again, the inverse of scenario 5. The Yankees would have the top wild-card spot. The Red Sox and Mariners would play a one-game playoff Monday, with the winner advancing to face New York in the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday.
Scenario 7: Red Sox Lose, Yankees Lose, Mariners Win, Blue Jays Lose
Here's where things start to get complicated. In this event, the Red Sox, Yankees and Mariners would be in a three-way tie for two spots. The three clubs would pick a designation of either Club A, Club B or Club C based on season series records.
Boston would get the first choice, followed by New York and Seattle. Club A would host Club B in a one-game playoff on Monday, and Club C would host the winner of that game in Tuesday's AL Wild Card Game.
More than likely, Boston would chose to be Club C because it's one fewer game. So, the most likely outcome here would be Seattle at New York on Monday, with the winner traveling to Boston for the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday.
Scenario 8: Red Sox Lose, Yankees Lose, Mariners Lose, Blue Jays Win
Repeat what happened in scenario 7 except with Toronto in Seattle's place. Toronto actually gets second choice over New York based on head-to-head records, so the most likely outcome here is New York at Toronto on Monday, with the winner traveling to Boston for the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday.
Scenario 9: Red Sox Lose, Yankees Lose, Mariners Win, Blue Jays Win
The scenario everyone outside of those four markets is probably rooting for. In this case, all four teams would be tied for that top spot.
Again, they would get the Club A, Club B, Club C, Club D designations. Boston gets the first choice, followed by Toronto, New York and Seattle. Club A would host Club B, while Club C would host Club D.
The winners would play each other in the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday. In this scenario, the most likely outcome would be New York at Boston and Seattle at Toronto.
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