Blue Jays to host the 1st game of a potential three-way tiebreaker
The Toronto Blue Jays will host the first game of a potential three-way tiebreaker Tuesday while the Baltimore Orioles have opted to play one home game Wednesday instead of playing two potential road games to earn a wild-card berth, MLB officials told USA TODAY Sports.
The officials spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity since MLB has not publicly announced the teams’ decisions if there’s a three-way tiebreaker between the Blue Jays, Orioles and Detroit Tigers.
The Blue Jays, designated as Team A in the tie-breaker procedure, informed MLB they would host the first game on Tuesday. If they lose, would play the following day in Baltimore against the Orioles.
The Orioles, designated as Team B, decided to host a one-game sudden-elimination game Wednesday at Camden Yards against the loser of the Blue Jays and Tigers’ game. They had the option of having two chances, both on the road, to reach the wild-card game. They instead opted to play the one home game, an Orioles executive confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.
The Tigers now will have the two chances to win one, each on the road.
The two winners would play Thursday for the American League wild card berth. If the Blue Jays were in the wild-card game, it would be played in Toronto. If the Orioles play the Tigers, the game would be in Baltimore.
The winner of the wild-card game would then play the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Tex., on Friday in the best-of-five division series.
While the Blue Jays and Orioles play their final games Sunday, the Tigers must make up a rainout against the Cleveland Indians on Monday in Detroit, pushing the tiebreaker process back a day.
The Orioles, who lost 7-3 Saturday to the New York Yankees, are 88-73 with a half-game lead over the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays, 87-73, who were playing the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night, have a half-game lead over the Tigers. The Tigers, 86-73, who are playing the Atlanta Braves, still have a makeup game Monday against the Cleveland Indians to determine their fate in the wild-card race. The Blue Jays and Orioles play their final games Sunday.
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Edit: Here's a TL;DR:
First game, Tuesday: Tigers @ Blue Jays
Second game, Wednesday: Loser of Tuesday's game @ Orioles
Wild Card game, Thursday: Winner of Wednesday's game @ Blue Jays (if Toronto is still in it) or Orioles (if Toronto got eliminated)
So the two ways Jays can make the ALDS if we tie is we either:
a) Beat the Tigers at home Tuesday and then beat the Tigers/Orioles at home to get entry into ALDS
Lose to the Tigers at home Tuesday, beat the Orioles at Camden Yards, then beat the Tigers at the Rogers Center to get entry into ALDS