Will the Rays make the playoffs?

Earlier this month it appeared the Tampa Bay Rays playoff chances were slim-to-none. They were swept by the Baltimore Orioles over a three-game series, lost two-of-three to the New York Yankees, and lost their first two of a four-game series with the Boston Red Sox. The team was eight games over .500 and didn’t seem to have much hope to claim an AL Wild Card spot.

Cue the late-season magic.

Tampa Bay has strung together eight consecutive wins and entered the day two games behind the Oakland Athletics for the final Wild Card spot. The team doesn’t have an easy schedule ahead, as they play the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles over their final six games.

Still, the White Sox are sliding in a big way and if the Rays have a few things fall their way they could control their playoff destiny entering their final series of the season against the O’s, who are also competing for a Wild Card berth.