Counterbalancing some runaway division winners, three of the four wild-card spots were decided on the final day of the season. Two years ago, the Kansas City Royals were behind 7-3 after seven innings in their wild-card game against Oakland but won 9-8 in 12 innings. In the World Series that year, the Royals ran up against Madison Bumgarner and the Giants, the National League wild-card survivor. The wild-card teams hardly notice the break between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the playoffs. The Royals then went up against Baltimore which had swept its division series over Detroit, but Kansas City never let up.

Source: National Post October 03, 2016 19:52 UTC