Race Day: Looking at the A.L. Playoff Races

About the Wild Card Race

Boston: The Red Sox have 13 home games among their remaining 23 starting with Friday night’s series opener against Tampa Bay. LHP Jon Lester (12-7, 3.44) has a 21-5 career record at Fenway. After a 5-5 start this season, Lester has gone 7-2 with a 2.25 ERA since late May. He’ll face RHP James Shields (9-10, 4.02), who has allowed the most hits among A.L. starters and the second-most home runs (27). Boston has collected at least 10 hits in 15 of its last 22 games.

The Rays have lost eight straight games and a couple of starting position players recently. 1B Carlos Pena, the league’s top HR hitter, was lost for the season on Monday when he broke two fingers on his left hand in an at-bat against CC Sabathia. LF B.J. Upton was pulled from Wednesday night’s game in New York with a sore left knee, and manager Joe Maddon said after the game that he’ll probably rest Upton for a bit.

Boston RHP Josh Beckett (14-6, 3.87) will face rookie RHP Wade Davis (0-0, 1.29) on Saturday. On Sunday, RHP Clay Buchholz (5-3, 3.92) will oppose RHP Matt Garza (7-9, 2.85).

The Red Sox are expected to make a decision Friday on the return of RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka. He pitched 6.2 innings on Wednesday night in his final rehab start at Class A, striking out seven and topping out his fastball at 93. Boston won’t need a fifth starter until Sept. 19.

About the AL West Race

Los Angeles: RHP John Lackey threw his eighth career shutout in Thursday night’s 3-0 win over Seattle to complete a three-game sweep; four of his shutouts have come against the Mariners. Seattle RF Ichiro was held hitless again and comes to Arlington on a 1-for-14 skid. Angels starters have a 1.42 ERA over the last 12 games.

The Angels will host the White Sox for three to complete a six-game homestand. Twelve of their remaining 23 are at Angel Stadium. On Monday, they’ll play a make-up game at Yankee Stadium before continuing on to Boston for three nights before coming back through Arlington. LHP Joe Saunders (12-7, 4.97) will open the series against Chicago having allowed only four total runs in his last three starters. In his only decision this season against the White Sox, he lost in May, giving up three earned runs in 6.2 innings. Chicago RHP Gavin Floyd (11-9, 3.84) beat the Angels in August, going eight and allowing one earned run. He comes off probably his best start of the season, taking a perfect game into the sixth inning against the Red Sox. In eight innings, he gave up three hits, one earned run and struck out a career-high 11.

The White Sox are 70-71 yet only six games out in the Central. C A.J. Pierzynski is hitting .314, threatening to finish with his highest batting average ever. (He hit .312 with Minnesota in 2002). LF Scott Podsednik brings a nine-game hitting streak to Anaheim.

If The Playoffs Started Today

Detroit @New York; Boston @Los Angeles