Explaining AL Wild Card tiebreaker scenarios

Somebody's got to say it: We don't just want tiebreaker chaos in the American League Wild Card race; we deserve it.

Major League history has yielded only 16 tiebreaker games, including just three since the dual Wild Card format (a format some feared would lead to too many ties) was instituted in 2012. And sure, we ought to be thankful for the drama packed into those 16 tilts, from Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round the World" to Bucky Dent's blast over the Green Monster to Matt Holliday maybe/possibly/probably not touching home plate.

But given the possibility of postseason expansion as soon as next season -- and the added possibility that future ties in an expanded format are handled mathematically and not on the field -- we just can't leave anything to chance here. We are fit to be tied.

Thankfully, the Blue Jays, Mariners, Red Sox and Yankees have tried to play along in advance of Tuesday's AL Wild Card Game. A chance for a four-way tie is still alive, and things are still pretty tight in the AL Wild Card picture with one regularly scheduled day to go.

On Sunday morning, the matchups and locations for each potential tiebreaker scenario were announced. But if you’re looking for a complete guide to how those scenarios were decided, read below.

Red Sox: 91-70 (current 1st Wild Card)
Yankees: 91-70 (current 2nd Wild Card)
Blue Jays: 90-71 (one game back of 2nd Wild Card)
Mariners: 90-71 (one game back of 2nd Wild Card)

There remains a chance the Giants and Dodgers could wind up tied in the National League West if San Francisco loses and Los Angeles wins on Sunday. But that's a straightforward scenario: If it happens, they would play a tiebreaker game Monday in San Francisco (by virtue of the Giants' 10-9 head-to-head record). Winner is the division champ and No. 1 seed in the NL, loser is the host of the NL Wild Card Game on Wednesday.

Here's what the four teams remaining in the AL Wild Card race have on tap in their final games Sunday:

Blue Jays vs. Orioles
Mariners vs. Angels
Red Sox at Nationals
Yankees vs. Rays

And remember, just to make this all the more compelling, every game on the schedule Sunday for the season finale begins at 3 p.m. ET.

You're probably wondering what would happen if all or some of these teams are tied at the end of Sunday's play. So here's your tie guide:

FOUR-WAY TIE FOR TWO WILD CARD SPOTS

Example: Yankees go 0-1; Red Sox go 0-1, Mariners go 1-0, Blue Jays go 1-0

What happens next: The above scenario is the only possible four-way tie, and it means all four teams finish with 91 wins (which is the win ceiling for Toronto and Seattle). Each team would choose or receive an A, B, C or D designation. The club with the highest winning percentage in games among the tied clubs chooses first, second-highest chooses second, etc. In this scenario, the Red Sox (24-21 against the others) get first choice, the Blue Jays (22-22) choose second, the Yankees (22-23) choose third and the Mariners (9-11) get the leftover spot.

On Monday, Club A (likely the Red Sox) would host Club B, and Club C (likely the Blue Jays) would host Club D. So for the Yankees, it would come down to a choice of traveling to either Boston or Toronto.

The winners of those two games on Monday would face each other Tuesday in the AL Wild Card Game.

THREE-WAY TIE FOR TWO WILD CARD SPOTS

Example: Yankees go 0-1; Red Sox go 0-1; Mariners go 1-0; Blue Jays go 0-1

What happens next: In this example, the Yankees, Red Sox and Mariners all finish with 91 wins, while the Blue Jays finish with 90 and just miss out.

For the three tied clubs, A, B and C designations would be assigned based on the head-to-head records. In this example, the Red Sox have the season edge on both the Yankees and the Mariners, so they would choose A, B or C first. The Yankees won the season series over Seattle, so they would choose second. The Mariners would get whichever spot is left over.

Club A would host Club B on Monday. The winner of that game would be declared one AL Wild Card team. Club C would then host the loser of that game on Tuesday to determine the second Wild Card team, with the actual AL Wild Card Game pushed back.

For the Red Sox, the designation decision would come down to having up to two chances to advance (as Club A) or taking their chances on a single game at home (as Club C) against a team that has not rested and has had to travel.

Another possible scenario: Yankees go 0-1; Red Sox go 0-1; Mariners go 0-1; Blue Jays go 1-0

What happens next: In this example, the Red Sox have the season edge on both the Yankees and the Blue Jays, so they would choose A, B or C first. The Blue Jays won the season series over New York, so they would choose second. The Yankees would get whichever spot is left over.

THREE-WAY TIE FOR 2ND WILD CARD SPOT

Example: Yankees go 1-0; Red Sox go 0-1; Mariners go 1-0; Blue Jays go 1-0

What happens next: In this example, the Yankees nail down the top Wild Card spot and get to host the AL Wild Card Game. But we'd need two tiebreaker games to determine their opponent.

The Red Sox have the head-to-head edge against both the Mariners and Blue Jays so they would choose an A, B or C designation first. The Mariners have the season edge on the Blue Jays, so they would choose second. The Blue Jays get whatever is left over.

Club A hosts Club B on Monday. The winner of that game then hosts Club C on Tuesday to determine who travels to face the Yankees in the AL Wild Card Game, which would have to be pushed back.

Here, the choice for the Red Sox would come down to having to win twice at home (as Club A) or taking your chances on one game as the rested road team against the A-B winner (as Club C).

Another possible scenario: Yankees go 0-1; Red Sox go 1-0; Mariners go 1-0; Blue Jays go 1-0

What happens next: In this example, the Red Sox would lock up the top Wild Card spot and get to host the AL Wild Card Game.

The Blue Jays have the head-to-head edge against both the Yankees and Mariners so they would choose an A, B or C designation first. The Yankees have the season edge on the Mariners, so they would choose second. The Mariners get whatever is left over.

Club A hosts Club B on Monday. The winner of that game then hosts Club C on Tuesday to determine who travels to face the Red Sox in the AL Wild Card Game.

TWO-WAY TIE FOR 1ST WILD CARD SPOT

Example: Yankees go 1-0; Red Sox go 1-0; Mariners go 1-0 or 0-1; Blue Jays go 1-0 or 0-1

What happens next: Here, only the Yankees and Red Sox, with 92 wins apiece, would qualify for the AL Wild Card Game. The Mariners and Blue Jays would be on the outside looking in.

All that would need to be settled is who gets to host the Wild Card Game, and that would be handled mathematically, not with a game. The Red Sox won the head-to-head series, 10-9, so the AL Wild Card Game would be at Fenway Park on Tuesday.

TWO-WAY TIE FOR 2ND WILD CARD SPOT

Example: Yankees go 1-0; Red Sox go 0-1; Mariners go 1-0; Blue Jays go 0-1

What happens next: With the Yankees grabbing the top spot (and AL Wild Card Game hosting duties) and the Blue Jays eliminated in this example, the Red Sox and Mariners would play a Monday tiebreaker to determine who heads to the Bronx on Tuesday. The Red Sox would host the tiebreaker game by virtue of their 4-3 record over the Mariners in the head-to-head season series.

Another possible scenario: Yankees go 1-0; Red Sox go 0-1; Mariners go 0-1; Blue Jays go 1-0

What happens next: The Yankees would clinch the top spot (and AL Wild Card Game hosting duties) and the Mariners are eliminated in this scenario. The Red Sox and Blue Jays would play a Monday tiebreaker to determine who advances. The Red Sox would host the tiebreaker game by virtue of their 10-9 record over the Blue Jays in the head-to-head season series.

Another possible scenario: Yankees go 0-1; Red Sox go 1-0; Mariners go 1-0; Blue Jays go 0-1

What happens next: The Red Sox would clinch the top spot (and AL Wild Card Game hosting duties) and the Blue Jays are eliminated in this scenario. The Yankees and Mariners would play a Monday tiebreaker to determine who advances. The Yankees would host the tiebreaker game by virtue of their 5-2 record over the Mariners in the head-to-head season series.

Another possible scenario: Yankees go 0-1; Red Sox go 1-0; Mariners go 0-1; Blue Jays go 1-0

What happens next: The Red Sox would clinch the top spot (and AL Wild Card Game hosting duties) and the Mariners are eliminated in this scenario. The Yankees and Blue Jays would play a Monday tiebreaker to determine who advances. The Blue Jays would host the tiebreaker game by virtue of their 11-8 record over the Yankees in the head-to-head season series.

NO TIES

Example: Red Sox go 1-0; Yankees go 0-1; Mariners go 0-1; Blue Jays go 0-1 OR Red Sox go 0-1; Yankees go 1-0; Mariners go 0-1; Blue Jays go 0-1

What happens next: We all spend Monday crying about the lack of AL Wild Card tiebreaker games and get over it by Tuesday, when the Yankees and Red Sox play the AL Wild Card Game.