The path back to the playoffs for the Toronto Blue Jays is looking mighty steep.
The Blue Jays (76-78) will wake up on Saturday two games back of the third wild-card spot, which is now held by the Chicago White Sox (78-76) after Friday’s results.
The White Sox hold the tiebreaker over the Blue Jays, meaning Toronto needs three more wins than Chicago over the final eight games to overtake them.
Further complicating the picture are the Texas Rangers (77-77), who beat the Blue Jays 7-1 on Friday. The Rangers are one game back of the White Sox and now tied with the Houston Astros (77-77) for the AL West lead.
While there is much to be decided, Toronto risks falling out of the race for good if it can’t pick up two wins over the Rangers this weekend.
Here is where the standings sit after Friday’s games:
Chicago White Sox: vs. Detroit, 2:10 p.m.
Baltimore: vs. Brewers, 4:05 p.m., Sportsnet+
Cleveland: vs. Athletics, 6:10 p.m.
Toronto: at Texas, 7:05 p.m., Sportsnet, Sportsnet+
Houston: vs. Atlanta, 7:10 p.m.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Corey Seager had an RBI double in a four-run second inning fueled by a throwing error, and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 on Friday night in the opener of a series matching AL playoff chasers.
The Rangers (77-77) reached .500 for a majors-leading 23rd time and pulled within one game of the White Sox for the third and final AL wild-card spot, although Chicago has the tiebreaker. The defending AL champion Blue Jays (76-78) are two games back in the wild-card race.
Texas also closed the gap on Houston by pulling even with the Astros atop the AL West, but the Rangers would have to win the division outright to finish ahead of their in-state rival. Houston lost to Atlanta 6-2.
The Rangers took the lead in the second on Evan Carter’s bases-loaded grounder that scored Wyatt Langford, and Jake Burger also came home when shortstop Ernie Clement’s throw trying to force him out at third bounced wide of the bag into foul territory. Seager made it 4-0 with his double.
Dylan Cease (11-6) walked a season-high six among his first 15 batters and was replaced with two outs in the third after throwing 38 balls and 36 strikes.
Five of the Texas runs were unearned as the Blue Jays walked 10 and had three throwing errors, two by third baseman Kazuma Okamoto.
Trevor Williams (2-0) finished with four scoreless innings after starter Kumar Rocker took a 4-0 lead into the fifth but couldn’t finish and was replaced by Tyler Alexander.
Toronto’s Nathan Lukes had the longest active hitting streak in the majors stopped at 13 games when he was replaced by pinch-hitter Davis Schneider in the fifth. Lukes was 0 for 2 with a deep liner that Carter, the center fielder, ran down at the wall in right center.
CLEVELAND — José Ramírez and rookie Travis Bazzana homered and Joey Cantillo pitched six scoreless innings as Cleveland rallied to beat the Athletics and stay atop the AL Central.
Ramírez connected in the sixth inning to give the Guardians a two-run cushion. His 12th homer was also the seven-time All-Star’s 1,000th RBI, making him just the second Cleveland player to reach the plateau. Earl Averill drove in 1,084 runs.
Bazzana snapped a 3-3 tie in the fifth as the Guardians came back after falling behind 3-0 in the first.
Cleveland, 18-9 since Aug. 20, came in tied with Chicago for first in the division. The White Sox hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Cantillo (10-9) allowed two hits in six innings after replacing opener Daniel Espino. Cantillo has not given up a run in 10 innings over his past two outings.
Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith finished off the combined three-hitter. Smith worked the ninth for his 38th save.
Zack Gelof hit a three-run homer for the A’s, who are 0-4 on their final road trip of 2026.
CHICAGO — Hao-Yu Lee and Riley Greene each hit a two-run homer in a five-run eighth inning as Detroit rallied from six down to beat Chicago.
Chicago (78-76) trails first-place Cleveland by one game in the AL Central with eight remaining, although the White Sox own the head-to-head tiebreaker after winning the season series. Chicago has a one-game lead for the final American League wild card.
Detroit (73-81) trailed 8-2 after Miguel Vargas hit his 32nd homer for the White Sox — a two-run shot in the third inning.
Chicago right fielder Tristan Peters left the game in the fifth after crashing into the wall in right-center on Kevin McGonigle’s bases-loaded triple that cut it to 8-5 and chased rookie starter David Sandlin.
Lee had a two-out RBI double off Chris Murphy in the sixth to make it 8-6.
Lee tied it against Sean Newcomb (2-5) with his 10th homer and Greene followed with his 21st — off Bryan Hudson — later in the inning. Dillon Dingler had a go-ahead single in between the homers. Lee finished with four of the Tigers’ 16 hits.
HOUSTON — Michael Harris II, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson each hit a two-run homer as the Atlanta Braves clinched a playoff berth with a 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
The Braves secured at least a National League wild card and reduced their magic number to three for winning the NL East. Atlanta is heading to the postseason for the eighth time in nine years.
The loss dropped Houston’s lead in the AL West over Texas to a half-game game, with the Rangers hosting Toronto on Friday night.
Olson hit his 40th home run in the ninth inning to make him the fifth player in franchise history with multiple 40-homer seasons after he set a Braves record with 54 in 2023.
Harris, who had three hits, gave the Braves a 2-0 lead with his homer off Peter Lambert (8-10) in the fourth. They were clinging to a one-run lead with one on and one out in the seventh when Acuña connected off Bennett Sousa to make it 4-1.
The Astros had runners on first and second with two outs in the eighth when an RBI single by Isaac Paredes cut the lead to 4-2. Jose Altuve hit a flyball to shallow right field but Acuña made a diving catch to end the inning.
Tyler Mahle (7-10) allowed three hits and a run with six strikeouts in six innings to help the Braves to their second win in five games.
Lambert yielded six hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings. He remained winless since July 11.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Roman Anthony homered and drove in three runs and Boston took a big step toward clinching an American League playoff spot with a victory over Tampa Bay.
The Red Sox, who entered Friday with a magic number of three, could secure a wild-card spot as early as Saturday.
Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda drove in runs for the postseason-bound Rays. They had won six in a row.
Anthony hit the game’s third pitch from Ian Seymour (9-7) into the right-field seats for his third career leadoff homer. Then, in the second inning, Anthony broke a 1-1 tie and drove in two more runs with a two-out single.
Jahmai Jones gave Boston a 4-1 advantage with his own solo homer to lead off the third. Caleb Durbin added two hits for the Red Sox, who own the American League’s third-best record (84-70), behind the Rays and Yankees.
Red Sox starter Ranger Suarez (8-4) threw 5 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and one run with five walks and five strikeouts. He also snared Taylor Walls’ 100-mph liner in the fourth, before completing an inning-ending double play.
Tampa Bay couldn’t capitalize on multiple opportunities, including nine Red Sox walks. The Rays left the bases loaded in the sixth and ninth, when Erik Miller retired Chandler Simpson on a game-ending grounder. Tampa Bay was 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
BREWERS 6, ORIOLES 5, 10 INNINGS
BALTIMORE — Jackson Chourio hit a three-run homer, Sal Frelick singled in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and surging Milwaukee beat Baltimore.
Although the Brewers own the best record in the majors (96-58) and have already clinched their fourth straight NL Central title, they aren’t coasting to the finish. Milwaukee is still looking to wrap up a first-round bye in the playoffs and earn home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
“We’re trying to win games and keep everybody healthy,” manager Pat Murphy said before the game.
The Brewers got their eighth victory in 10 games despite blowing a two-run lead in the ninth. After William Contreras hit a tiebreaking double and Christian Yelich tacked on a run-scoring single in the top half, Baltimore pulled even in the bottom half against Trevor Megill (3-3) with two hits and a pair of sacrifice flies.
In the 10th, automatic runner Joey Ortiz advanced on a bunt and trotted home when Frelick bounced a single to right field off Grant Wolfram (6-4).
Chad Patrick got three outs for his sixth save.
Like Milwaukee, the Orioles (75-79) are also in a playoff race. But Baltimore is running out of time in its bid to claim the final AL wild-card spot.
CINCINNATI — Jose Trevino lined a two-run single to right field with the bases loaded in the seventh inning and Cincinnati rallied for a victory over Chicago.
Michael Conforto had three hits for the Cubs, who have dropped two of three. Chicago (85-69) had the tying run at the plate with two outs in the ninth when Michael Busch was caught stealing at second base on a designed pitchout called by Trevino. Busch was credited with the stolen base when it was overturned by instant replay.
Chicago’s magic number to clinch a postseason spot remains at four. Clay Holmes (6-8) went 5 1/3 innings and allowed six runs.
Eugenio Suárez tied it at 4-4 with a base hit to left to drive in Elly De La Cruz. Héctor Rodríguez grounded into a fielder’s choice as Tyler Stephenson was called out at home before Trevino came through with the go-ahead hit.
De La Cruz also drove in two runs for the Reds, who had dropped three of four to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the previous series.
Ian Happ homered in the third to tie it at 2-2 and Seiya Suzuki had a two-run single with the bases loaded in the fourth to put the Cubs up 4-3.
Julian Aguiar (2-1) got the win in relief, allowing two runs in three innings. All-Star Chase Burns, who is on an innings restriction, gave up two runs in three innings.
ST. LOUIS — CJ Abrams became the 52nd player to join the 30-30 club, Cade Cavalli threw his 200th strikeout of the year, and Washington took down St. Louis.
Abrams joined the Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong as the only players to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases this season. He is just the second National to do it, joining Alfonso Soriano in 2006.
Cavalli (13-5) struck out the side in the first, and finished with six strikeouts and four hits in five innings of work.
His 200th strikeout came on his final pitch of the night, and he became the fifth Nationals pitcher with a 200-strikeout season — joining Patrick Corbin, Gio Gonzalez, Max Scherzer, and Stephen Strasburg — just hours after inking a four-year, $47 million contract extension.
The Nats scored three runs in the first, started by Abrams’ RBI single. Abrams then stole his 30th base, and an errant throw from Cardinals catcher Leo Bernal let Dylan Crews come around to score. Brady House added an RBI groundout before the end of the frame.
Crews started a four-run third with his 12th homer of the season, a two-run shot to right, and Yohandy Morales added a two-run double.
Daylen Lile hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth and James Wood had an RBI double in the sixth to round out the scoring.
NEW YORK — Juan Soto hit a three-run homer and New York kept Philadelphia from gaining ground in the National League wild-card race with a victory.
Edmundo Sosa went 3 for 3 with a home run and a double for the Phillies (85-69), who remained tied with the Cubs for the top two wild-card spots after Chicago lost 6-4 to Cincinnati. Both teams began the day one game ahead of the San Diego Padres, who were scheduled to host Miami later Friday.
Derek Hill also went deep and Bryson Stott had an RBI double for Philadelphia.
Soto also doubled and finished with three hits. A.J. Ewing’s two-run single capped a three-run first inning for the last-place Mets, who ended a five-game losing streak — their longest under interim manager Andy Green. Carson Benge had an RBI single in the first and reached base three times.
Francisco Lindor remained at 299 career homers after going 2 for 5 with a double.
Rookie left-hander Zac Thornton (5-5) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked one. Thornton has permitted two runs or fewer eight times in 14 big league starts.
Dedniel Núñez got four outs for his second career save and first since July 13, 2024.
PITTSBURGH — Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin had four hits, Brandon Lowe hit his 32nd homer and Pittsburgh surged past Kansas City.
Pittsburgh churned out 15 hits against Kansas City to overcome an early four-run deficit to move back to .500 (77-77) in its bid for the franchise’s first winning season since 2018.
The 20-year-old Griffin, who missed two months with a left-hand injury that coincided with a summer swoon that saw the Pirates’ playoff hopes evaporate, posted the third four-hit game of his young career. His RBI single in the seventh off reliever Nate Pearson (2-2) capped a three-run rally.
Yohan Ramirez (7-4) retired all four batters he faced in relief to pick up the win. Gregory Soto worked the ninth for his 15th save, but just his first since Aug. 1.
Vinnie Pasquantino and Michael Massey homered for the Royals, but Kansas City couldn’t take advantage of a so-so performance by Pirates ace Paul Skenes.
DENVER — Lazaro Montes led off the ninth inning with a 426-foot home run and Seattle beat Colorado.
The Mariners are six games back of the Chicago White Sox for the third AL wild card with eight games remaining.
J.P. Crawford hit his 18th career leadoff homer, Randy Arozarena had three hits and Carlos Vargas (2-0) got one out for Seattle (72-82).
Montes’ blast into the second deck off Jordan Romano (0-4) gave Seattle its second straight win. Cole Carrigg led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, stole second but was picked off by Andres Munoz, who struck out Mickey Moniak to pick up his 28th save.
Colorado’s TJ Rumfield singled to extend his on-base streak to 22 games, the longest by a rookie in franchise history. The Rockies (56-98) are on the verge of being the first team since the 1965 New York Mets to lose 100 or more games in four straight seasons.
Rockies rookie starter Gabriel Hughes pitched 4 2/3 innings and remained winless in 13 starts and 14 games. He needed 34 pitches to get through the first but retired 11 straight before a one-out walk in the fifth.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Connor Prielipp allowed two hits in a season-high seven innings and fellow rookie Walker Jenkins homered to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
Prielipp (6-7) struck out eight and walked two in his 21st start, throwing 60 of 92 pitches for strikes to help the Twins (72-82) even the four-game series at one apiece. The left-hander is 3-0 in four September starts.
Tommy Nance escaped a jam in the eighth and Travis Adams retired the side in order in the ninth for his third save.
Ryan Jeffers had a sacrifice fly off Grayson Rodriguez (4-8), and Josh Bell singled in a run to give the Twins a 2-0 lead in the first.
Jenkins homered for the third time in his first 52 at-bats to make it 3-0 in the seventh. The center fielder had three of Minnesota’s nine hits.
The Angels loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth against Nance but came up empty. The right-hander struck out Mike Trout and pinch-hitter Josh Lowe — both swinging — before retiring Vaughn Grissom on a flyout to left field.
Rodriguez permitted three runs on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings. Sammy Peralta retired four of the five batters he faced and rookie Luke Murphy pitched a scoreless ninth.
The Angels (59-95) won the opener 5-4 on Wade Meckler’s walk-off single in the 10th.