Rays odds for a playoff spot continue to improve
The Tampa Bay Rays are currently in the top spot in their league. They are 21-6 in August and have a record of 84-46. The team has a 6.0 game lead over the Houston Astros for home field in American League and 8.5 game advantage over New York Yankees in AL East.
The Rays have a good chance of winning the American League. The teams battling for the two Wild Cards are bunched up.
The Rays, White Sox, and Astros have 97%+ chances of making the playoffs. The Yankees have jumped from outside the playoff to having a firm grasp of the first Wild Card. Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners are long shots with a reasonable chance to get in. The Red Sox are favorites over the Athletics by every projection system. They are currently 12-16 and are hanging on to the second Wildcard spot. Their run differential is +116. Seattle is 3.5 games behind the Red Sox. Blue Jays are 9th with -57. It's possible they could close the gap. If they do, they would have to beat the other teams.
The Rays are 8.0 games clear of the Yankees in the American League East. The Rays overcame a 9.5 game deficit to the New York Yankees back in September 2011.
The Rays have a 90%+ chance to win the division. The Yankees are 8.0 games behind them. Red Sox are out of the race. Blue Jays have too much ground to make up. Rays need to go 16-14 to match the Blue Jay's record.
The Major League Baseball season is a marathon. The Rays have done the hard work and banked enough wins to put themselves in the position that it won't take a great finish to win the division.
