Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers will try to build off a slump-busting offensive effort when they host the Minnesota Twins on Thursday afternoon in the finale of a four-game series. The Tigers had been held to four runs or fewer seven games in a row, going 2-5 in that stretch, before breaking out for 13 hits in Wednesday's 9-6 victory and pulling within a game of the second wild card in the American League.

The American League Central-leading Cleveland Indians attempt to continue to reduce their magic number and earn a split of their four-game series when they visit the Chicago White Sox for the finale on Thursday afternoon. Cleveland surrendered 19 runs and scored only five while losing the first two games of the set but bounced back Wednesday with a 6-1 triumph that lowered its magic number for a division title to 12.

The Baltimore Orioles are surging toward the top of the American League East again and will try to take advantage of the 11-game homestand squarely in front of them to seal a playoff spot. The Orioles look to remain unbeaten against the Tampa Bay Rays at home this season when they host their AL East rivals on Thursday in the opener of a four-game set.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are no longer a realistic contender for a National League postseason berth due to the way they have played over the last few weeks, but a winning season is still a possibility. The Pirates will try to escape with a split of a four-game series when they visit the Philadelphia Phillies for the finale on Thursday.

The New York Yankees are surprisingly still in the American League wild card race, and could be sitting atop the AL East with a sweep this weekend. The Yankees, who are four games back in the division, will visit the first-place Boston Red Sox for the opener of a four-game series on Thursday.

The reigning World Series champion Kansas City Royals are running out of time to secure a chance to defend their title, and they haven't been doing themselves any favors with their recent performances at home. The Royals, who are five games back of Toronto for the second American League wild card with 17 remaining, look to avoid being on the wrong side of a four-game sweep when they host the Oakland Athletics in the series finale on Thursday.

The Chicago Cubs’ first division crown since 2008 appears inevitable, and they’ll get their first chance to clinch it on Thursday, when they open a four-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. Chicago already has guaranteed it can do no worse than tie for the National League Central title and can remove that remote possibility with a win or a loss by St. Louis.

Los Angeles left-hander Rich Hill has put aside his disappointment over being pulled with a perfect game and looks to continue his hot pitching when the Dodgers open a four-game series against the host Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday. Hill pitched seven perfect innings against the Miami Marlins in his last outing before manager Dave Roberts pulled him from the contest.

Toronto third baseman Josh Donaldson is ailing and the Blue Jays are sliding down the standings as they open a four-game series Thursday against the host Los Angeles Angels. The reigning American League MVP has missed three straight games with a hip injury and he underwent an MRI exam as doctors attempt to pinpoint the problem.

Either the San Francisco Giants or St. Louis Cardinals - and possibly both - will nail down a National League wild-card spot despite staggering down the stretch. San Francisco hosts St. Louis in a four-game series beginning Thursday and while the Giants also maintain an outside chance to win the NL West, the Cardinals' only avenue into the postseason is via the wild card as the Chicago Cubs' magic number to clinch the Central is one with 17 games remaining.