Min over Cle: 1

This might be the most relevant magic number for the Twins right now.

 

1 more Twins win, or 1 more Cleveland loss, and the Twins will be hosting a playoff series at Target Field.

 

Not quite -- they are still even in the loss column and Oakland holds the tiebreaker over the Twins, so Oakland controls its own destiny for the #2 seed. If Oakland wins out, the best the Twins or any AL Central team can be is the #3 seed.

 

Of course, some here have suggested that the Twins may prefer the #3 seed (and facing the Astros in the first round) over the #2 seed (and facing either Cleveland or Chicago again).

 

Right on Oakland. I guess it's essentially four either way, the difference being that Oakland can get all four by themselves, whereas Minnesota can only supply three of their four themselves. 

 

That seems about right, but I think Toronto is 5, 7, 8. (They can't finish 2nd unless they pass NYY, at which point it would be impossible for HOU to catch them too.)

 

But 1 more loss, and TOR will be locked into the #8 seed.

 

Another close "magic number":

 

1 more win for TB, or 1 loss for each of MIN and OAK, and TB is guaranteed the #1 seed.

 

And yep on Toronto as well. I'd compared them to NYY and to Houston, but not pieced the two together. 

 

And it's interesting that none of the nine teams still mathematically alive are playing each other. Five have a National League opponent. 

 

And it's interesting that none of the nine teams still mathematically alive are playing each other. Five have a National League opponent. 

At least a few of those NL opponents are also fighting for playoffs spots (like MIN vs CIN, and NYY vs MIA).

 

The big head-to-head battle appears to be MIL-STL for 4 more games, including a doubleheader beginning today at 4:15 PM CDT.

 

And it's interesting that none of the nine teams still mathematically alive are playing each other. Five have a National League opponent. 

Wow, that's an interesting twist. It just makes the possibilities even more varied.