The Cleveland Guardians completed their remarkable September surge on Saturday, clinching an improbable playoff berth after beating the Texas Rangers 3-2 on a walk-off hit by pitch.
With that, the six-team American League playoff field is officially set.
The Red Sox will be joined by the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers and Guardians when the postseason begins on Tuesday.
The Houston Astros, who had qualified for eight straight postseasons, will be on the outside looking in for the first time since 2016.
Though the participants have been settled, there is still a lot on the line Sunday when every team plays its final game of the regular season. Both the AL East and AL Central champions will come down to Game 162, and pretty much the entire bracket will remain in limbo until those races reach their conclusion.
Here are the storylines and scenarios to watch on Sunday.
Who will Red Sox play?
Boston Red Sox (88-73): With a win on Sunday against the Tigers the Red Sox will clinch the second Wild Card spot, setting up a date with either the Yankees or Blue Jays in the AL Wild Card series. The Red Sox would play whichever of those clubs does not win the AL East, and Boston would also land the second Wild Card spot if the Guardians lose on Sunday.
If the Tigers and Guardians both win, however, then Detroit would get the second Wild Card spot and bump the Red Sox down into the third position. In that scenario the Red Sox would instead face the AL Central champion Guardians in the Wild Card round.
Battle for AL East supremacy
Toronto Blue Jays (93-68): Since the Blue Jays own the tiebreaker over the Yankees, Sunday is pretty straightforward. Win and Toronto takes home its first AL East championship since 2015. The Blue Jays will also clinch the division with a Yankees loss, and if Toronto wins the AL East it will also claim the No. 1 seed in the AL and home field advantage through the ALCS.
New York Yankees (93-68): For the Yankees to win the AL East, they’ll have to win on Sunday and they’ll need the Blue Jays to lose. If that happens then the Yankees will be division champs and take the AL’s No. 1 seed for themselves. Otherwise they’ll be locked into the top Wild Card spot and will host the second Wild Card team in this week’s three-game AL Wild Card series.
AL Central down to the wire
Cleveland Guardians (87-74): The Guardians hold the tiebreaker over the Tigers, so Cleveland can clinch the AL Central with a win or a Detroit loss. If the Guardians win the division they’ll be the No. 3 seed and will host the Red Sox in the Wild Card round. If not then they’ll be the third Wild Card club, setting up a decisive three-game playoff series with the Tigers.
Detroit Tigers (87-74): At one point the Tigers led the AL Central by as many as 14 games, but while that cushion has entirely disappeared, Detroit can still salvage the division with a win over the Red Sox and a Guardians loss. If the Tigers win the AL Central they will be the No. 3 seed and will host the Guardians in the AL Wild Card round. Otherwise they will be the second Wild Card and will face either the Yankees or Blue Jays on the road.
Mariners sitting pretty
Seattle Mariners (90-70): The Mariners have already clinched the AL West, the league’s No. 2 seed and a bye to the divisional round. Seattle will face either the eventual AL Central champion or the third Wild Card seed in the ALDS.
