This year’s American League Wild Card race looks to be anti-climactic, barring an unmitigated disaster occurring for one of the division leaders. What was once a group of very tight races all the way around, the league has lessened to only two.

The East has the most bearing on the Wild Card. Tampa Bay continues to dog the Yankees’ every move and is now only a game behind. They are also ahead by seven games in the Wild Card standings, which is a nearly insurmountable climb for either the White Sox or Red Sox, their two closest competitors. Though it appeared as if the Bluejays may have a mid-season resurgence, this didn’t happen. Similarly, Detroit and Oakland have fallen back below 500.

With the deck stacked like this, the way forward is pretty clear. Either the Yankees or the Rays are going to have to stumble, and stumble big time, in order for any of the AL teams to catch either or both of them. However, all hope is not lost for the White Sox, who are just 4.5 games back of division-leading Minnesota. The White Sox play the struggling Tigers, followed by a series with the Royals, who are struggling far more mightily. In addition, they’ve brought on Manny Ramirez to their lineup. This could either be a huge shot in the arm or a slap in the face, and events thus far point to the later. Manny has not produced much since joining the team and has already been ejected from one game.

In short, the Rays and Yankees can battle it out for first place in the AL East certain in the knowledge that both of them will make it to the postseason, unless one of them falls down on the job as we close out the 2010 MLB season.

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