The Orioles' 2016 postseason push begins Oct. 4 with a sudden-death showdown in Toronto against the Blue Jays in the American League Wild Card game. The winner will advance to face the Texas Rangers in the AL Division Series, while the loser will head home for the winter, their playoff hopes dashed after a single game.
Who has the edge in the AL Wild Card game? Let's look at the matchups.
Starting Pitcher
The Orioles may have caught a break in that the Blue Jays' three best starters this year -- AL ERA leader Aaron Sanchez, 20-game winner J.A. Happ and solid righty Marco Estrada -- all pitched against the Red Sox during the final weekend of the regular season, eliminating them from consideration for the Wild Card game. Instead, the Blue Jays will turn to 25-year-old righty Marcus Stroman, who was expected to have a breakout year in 2016 but posted a mediocre 9-10 record and 4.37 ERA during 32 starts.
