CLEVELAND — Having already clinched the American League Central Division championship, the Cleveland Guardians know they'll be playing this postseason.
Now all that's left to determine is who the Guardians' opponent will be.
With the Houston Astros and New York Yankees having already secured the top two seeds in the American League, Cleveland is locked into the No. 3 seed of the A.L. playoffs. That means that the Guardians will be hosting a best-of-three Wild Card Round series at Progressive Field against the No. 6 seed -- whichever team earns the American League's third and final Wild Card berth.
Entering Friday, September 30, that team is slated to be the Tampa Bay Rays, who currently lay claim to an 85-71 record heading into a three-game series with the Houston Astros. The Rays trail the No. 2 Wild Card, the Seattle Mariners (85-70), by a half-game, and the top-seeded Wild Card, the Toronto Blue Jays (87-69) by two games.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay possesses a five-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles (80-76) for the American League's third and final Wild Card spot.
With the Wild Card Round -- which will take place Oct. 7-9 -- nearly one week away, here's each Wild Card contender's remaining schedule:
Blue Jays
- Sept. 30 vs. Boston
- Oct. 1 vs. Boston
- Oct. 2 vs. Boston
- Oct. 3 at Baltimore
- Oct. 4 at Baltimore
- Oct. 5 at Baltimore
Mariners
- Sept. 30 vs. Oakland
- Oct. 1 vs. Oakland
- Oct. 2 vs. Oakland
- Oct. 3 vs. Detroit
- Oct. 4 vs. Detroit
- Oct. 4 vs. Detroit
- Oct. 5 vs. Detroit
Rays
- Sept. 30 at Houston
- Oct. 1 at Houston
- Oct. 2 at Houston
- Oct. 3 at Boston
- Oct. 4 at Boston
- Oct. 5 at Boston
Orioles
- Sept. 30 at New York Yankees
- Oct. 1 at New York Yankees
- Oct. 2 at New York Yankees
- Oct. 3 vs. Toronto
- Oct. 4 vs. Toronto
- Oct. 5 vs. Toronto