MLB Odds: Toronto Blue Jays can clinch playoff spot with win on Friday

The Toronto Blue Jays lead the American League with an 89-64 record and they can clinch a playoff spot as soon as Friday with the right results around the league.

Here’s how it works.

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Playoff bound

Barring a catastrophic collapse, the Toronto Blue Jays will play October baseball. If they want to clinch a postseason spot on Friday, it starts with winning their game in Kansas City. The Royals are essentially out of the playoff race at 76-77 and they’ve dropped eight of their last 11 games. Here’s our complete preview and prediction for Toronto’s series opener in Kansas City.

If the Jays win on Friday, they also need two of the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Guardians or Detroit Tigers to lose their games on Friday.

Boston (83-70) is opening a three-game set in Tapa Bay. The Rays won their last two games against Toronto, but they’ve dropped eight of 10 against the Red Sox this season.

Cleveland (81-71) is one of the hottest teams in baseball. They’re making a late playoff push thanks to a seven-game winning streak. The Guardians, who have won 12 of their last 13 games, are beginning a four-game series in Minnesota (66-86).

Detroit (85-68) had the best record in the American League before being overtaken by the Blue Jays on Sept. 11. The Tigers are reeling a bit with just one win in their last seven games as they prepare to open a three-game home series against Atlanta (70-83).

Toronto is looking to return to the playoffs after missing out last year. They’ve been a wild-card team in three of the last five seasons, but they haven’t won a playoff game since since reaching the ALCS in 2016.