Whether the Blue Jays clinch a playoff spot while they’re idle today (with a Red Sox win over the Orioles), tomorrow or the next day, it’s almost certainly going to happen.
Fangraph had their chances of grabbing a berth at 99.9% way back on Sept. 21, and they’ve gone 3-4 since then.
From our newsroom to your inbox at noon, the latest headlines, stories, opinion and photos from the Toronto Sun.
Thanks for signing up!
A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.
The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox.
But what will they do when they get to the post-season tournament?
Since the system allowing more than only division winners into the playoffs was first implemented in 1994 with one team from each league qualifying, the World Series has been won by a wild-card team seven times:
– Florida Marlins, in 1997 and 2003.
– Anaheim Angels in 2002.
– Boston Red Sox in 2004.
– St. Louis Cardinals in 2011.
– San Francisco Giants in 2014.
– Washington Nationals in 2019.
A wild-card team appeared in the World Series each year from 2002-2007.
What the Jays want to do is clinch the top wild-card spot so they can host all three games (if necessary) in the best-of-three Wild Card Series, which will be played between Friday, Oct. 7 and Sunday, Oct. 9.
Historically, home teams have won 54.7 percent of all post-season games.
It’s only a slight edge, but at this time of year, any edge is a good one.
They want to take the wild-card spot cleanly, too, as they lose the tie-breakers to both Seattle and Tampa.
As of this afternoon, Toronto has a half-game lead on Tampa and is up two on Seattle.
Meanwhile, as of Sept. 27 the Jays had the sixth shortest odds to win the World Series at +1700 on bet365.
-Don Brennan
Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis. Care for a wager? Head to our sports betting section for news and odds.