According to Fangraphs today, the Toronto Blue Jays (68-70), riding off a series sweep over the Seattle Mariners this past weekend, now have a 25.6% chance of taking the third American League wild-card spot.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a far cry from earlier last week, when their own fans were booing them in a loss to the Kansas City Royals.<\/p>\n
Tomorrow night the Jays roll into Cleveland to start a three-game series with the Guardians, the team they are chasing in the wild-card race, now 1.5 games back. Spencer Arrighetti (7-7, 4.81 ERA), who has struggled over his last two games, starts for Toronto.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the big story on the local front, in terms of baseball anyway.<\/p>\n
Tonight it\u2019s a full MLB schedule, with 12 games lined up. Milwaukee Brewers versus Chicago Cubs is the biggest divisional showdown on the slate. The Brewers are rolling, with an 8-game lead in the National League Central, so they\u2019re looking to keep their foot on the gas.<\/p>\n
The Tampa Bay Rays are sitting pretty, in first place in the American League East at 82-54, 4.5 games up on the New York Yankees, and face a bad New York Mets team (61-76) and a struggling starter in Robert Stock (0-3, 7.40 ERA).<\/p>\n
The Atlanta Braves, on a hot streak, winners of seven straight, host the San Francisco Giants. The Braves are dominant at home, facing a Giants team that\u2019s way out of it (56-81). Like the Brewers, the Braves are looking to keep the momentum, as they chase the top seed in the NL East.<\/p>\n
I also have my eye on Jacob deGrom, on the mound for the Texas Rangers, at home against the lowly Oakland A\u2019s (53-84), two games out of the American League wild-card, right after the Blue Jays. That\u2019s a game to focus on, with big stakes for the Rangers.<\/p>\n