The Texas Rangers (91-71), who began September with the AL West lead before a 5-15 slide, added game No. 163 to the regular season. They will host the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night in baseball’s first wild-card tiebreaker since 2007. Rookie left-hander Martin Perez (10-5, 3.55 ERA) starts for Texas on Monday against Tampa Bay and lefty David Price (9-8).
The Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 Sunday to force a one-game tiebreaker for the second AL wild-card spot. Meanwhile Tampa Bay held off the Toronto Blue Jays 7-6 to secure at least one more game.
The Rangers will have Nelson Cruz back . The All-Star slugger on Sunday completed his 50-game suspension that followed Major League Baseball’s investigation of the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic, which was accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs.
“We have something to prove in Texas,” Rays third baseman Evan Longoria said. “We’ve left that place too many times with our heads down and disappointed. I feel like now is the time to be able to turn that page.”
“Hands down my biggest game of this year, night and day bigger than Opening Day,” Rays ace David Price said. “This is a moment that I want to be in. I want to be able to relish this moment and go out there and have fun.
The winner will play the Cleveland Indians Wednesday who finished with the best record among the three teams.
