MLB Games for 9/24

There are some great matchups today. Here are the games for the day.

American League

Toronto Blue Jays (66-85) vs. Baltimore Orioles (87-65) 4:05 PM ET

Toronto Blue Jays (66-85) vs. Baltimore Orioles (87-65) 7:05 PM ET

Kansas City Royals (70-82) vs. Detroit Tigers (80-72) 7:05 PM ET

Oakland Athletics (86-66) vs. Texas Rangers (90-62) 8:05 PM ET

The Texas Rangers can move closer to clinching the American League West crown when they open a pivotal four-game series against the visiting Oakland Athletics on Monday. Texas has a four-game lead over Oakland with 10 to play and can sew up the division by sweeping the Athletics. Oakland can make things interesting by closing the gap this week as the two teams finish the season next week with three games in the Bay Area.

The Athletics have a 2 1/2-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels for the AL’s second wild card. Oakland has lost five of its last seven games and is 2-4 during a 10-game road trip. The status of Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is still fuzzy due to sinus issues that have affected his vision. Hamilton has missed five consecutive games. The Rangers have won 90 games for the third straight season and sixth time in franchise history. The teams have split 12 games this year.

New York Yankees (88-64) vs. Minnesota Twins (64-89) 8:10 PM ET

Cleveland Indians (63-90) vs. Chicago White Sox (81-71) 8:10 PM ET

National League

Milwaukee Brewers (79-73) vs. Washington Nationals (92-60) 1:05 PM ET

Pittsburgh Pirates (75-77) vs. New York Mets (69-83) 7:10 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates are still mathematically in the National League wild-card race but the more realistic goal is trying to avoid a 20th consecutive losing season as they open a four-game series against the host New York Mets. The Pirates (75-77) have the longest string of ineptitude of any professional sports franchise and Sunday’s victory over the Houston Astros was only their third win in 16 games. New York just swept three games from the Miami Marlins.

Mets third baseman David Wright is closing in on the franchise record for career hits. Wright homered in Sunday’s win over the Marlins and has 1,415 hits, three short of Ed Kranepool’s club record. New York had lost 11 of 12 games prior to sweeping the Marlins. Pittsburgh had dropped five consecutive tilts before defeating the Astros and are 6 1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL’s second wild card. The Pirates are just 12-30 since moving 16 games above .500 on August 8. Center fielder Andrew McCutchen is making a run at the NL batting title with a .336 average and has clubbed six homers in the last 14 games.

St. Louis Cardinals (82-71) vs. Houston Astros (50-103) 8:05 PM ET

Arizona Diamondbacks (77-75) vs. Colorado Rockies (58-94) 8:40 PM ET

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