The American League Wild Card race continues to be the most polarizing as we approach the third week of August. The AL Wild Card looks like it will come down to the wire in October and could be decided by that final series. The team to watch heading down the stretch is the Baltimore Orioles. Let’s take a look at the latest AL WC standings on August 10.
AL Wild Card standings, August 10
1st WC spot: Toronto Blue Jays, 60-50 — +1.5
2nd WC spot: Seattle Mariners, 60-52 — +0.5
3rd WC spot: Tampa Bay Rays, 58-51 —
Baltimore Orioles, 58-52 — 0.5 GB
Cleveland Guardians, 57-52 — 1.0 GB
Minnesota Twins, 57-52 — 1.0 GB
Chicago White Sox, 56-54 — 2.5 GB
Boston Red Sox, 54-57 — 5.0 GB
The Orioles have just taken two games from the Jays in their series and will look to sweep on Wednesday. Baltimore has won seven of the past eight games and is 12-6 since the All-Star break. The O’s also traded one of their best players in Trey Mancini to the Houston Astros before the Trade Deadline a few weeks ago. Despite that move, the team is poised to make a run at the playoffs. Baltimore has the makings of a very solid core with Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins, Austin Mays, Anthony Santander and Adley Rutschman.
The Twins and Guardians are tied in the AL Central, so that’s why both teams are popping up. That division race may be even more exciting down the stretch. The Mariners are well positioned to overtake the Jays if they continue to falter. Toronto has a tough series against the New York Yankees coming up that could decide their fate in the AL WC. The O’s, looking ahead, have a brutal schedule with their last four series of the season against the Astros, Red Sox, Yankees and Blue Jays.