4. Minnesota 1 game behind

Detroit’s September surge was the most surprising thing to happen in all of baseball.

The Tigers took advantage of another excellent week to climb into second place in the AL wild-card race behind the Orioles, who they beat two of three times in Maryland last weekend.

AJ Hinch’s team has the easiest remaining schedule among the wild-card contenders, hosting the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox.

Kansas City starts the week easily against the Washington Nationals, but the final three games in Atlanta could be important for both teams.

Baltimore visits the New York Yankees to start the week and then travels to Minnesota for a series that could mean more to the Twins.

The Orioles only need a .500 week to secure a playoff spot, and depending on results elsewhere, a 2-4 record this week may be enough to secure the win.

Minnesota hosts the Miami Marlins earlier this week and should at least be able to keep up with the Tigers and Royals.

The Seattle Mariners are just two games out of the final wild-card spot, but the week begins with three games in Houston against an Astros team that has yet to win the AL West title.

Seattle finishes the season with three home games against the Oakland Athletics and has a chance at a wild-card spot, but will likely need help from Baltimore and Atlanta this weekend.

The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays will need miracles to even be in the running by the weekend, and the Rays will likely be eliminated when they leave Detroit on Thursday.

Boston needs to sweep the Toronto Blue Jays to have any meaning in its final home series against the Rays, but to be in the running on Friday, a few teams ahead of them will have to lose series during the week.