American League Wild Card standings: A’s increase lead over Mariners, Royals

As far as resiliency is concerned, the Oakland Athletics showed that they have it this weekend.

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After losing the first game of their weekend series against the Seattle Mariners and temporarily losing their hold on the top Wild Card spot, the A’s stared down their two most important games of the season. On Saturday they found a way to defeat the Mariners in extra innings, and on Sunday they rode an outstanding pitching performance led by Jon Lester to win 4-0 and steal a crucial series on the road.

Here are the updated American League Wild Card standings as of this morning. As things stand now, the A’s and the Royals would be in:

1. Oakland Athletics – 83-66, +1.5 WCGB
2. Kansas City Royals – 81-67, — WCGB
3. Seattle Mariners – 80-68, 1.0 WCGB
4. Toronto Blue Jays – 77-71, 4.0 WCGB
5. New York Yankees – 76-72, 5.0 WCGB
6. Cleveland Indians – 76-72, 5.0 WCGB

Over in the American League Central, the Royals are currently 1.5 games back of the Detroit Tigers for first place. Those two teams will play a crucial series in Kansas City this coming weekend. That is part of a six-game home stand for the Royals that starts on Monday with a series against the Chicago White Sox.

The A’s now turn their attention to a home series against the last place Texas Rangers. The Mariners have the tallest order in front of them, as they start an 11-game road trip on Monday with a four-game set in Anaheim against the first place Angels. Those games will be crucial for Seattle as they try to keep pace with A’s and Royals.

Stay tuned to FanSided for all of the latest news, rumors, and analysis for Major League Baseball as the season races towards the postseason and the hot stove this off-season.