The small market Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays both clinched a postseason berth Friday night. They will meet in the AL Wild Card Game this coming Wednesday, though homefield advantage is still up for grabs. Here are the various clinching scenarios.

Even before the team clinched a postseason spot, Rays manager Kevin Cash announced right-hander Charlie Morton will start their winner-take-all game during a recent interview with MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM.

"That's kind of how we planned it," Cash said. "(Morton is) so deserving of it. It doesn't matter who we're playing or how it shakes out -- Game 163 (tiebreaker), Wild Card Game, whatever it is -- I think when it's time to win a game, you're going to want Charlie on the mound for you." 

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Charlie Morton
ATL • SP • #50
ERA3.05
WHIP1.08
IP194.2
BB57
K240
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Morton last pitched Wednesday, so he'll start the Wild Card Game on a full week's rest. He owns a career 4.60 ERA in 31 1/3 postseason innings, though one bad start skews his numbers (seven runs in 3 2/3 innings in Game 3 of the 2017 ALCS), and this is a guy who recorded a four-inning save in Game 7 of the World Series two years ago. The moment won't be too big for Morton.

The Rays, maybe moreso than any other team, are willing and able to be creative with their pitching staff. Tyler Glasnow threw 4 1/3 innings Friday night, so he'll be available for the Wild Card Game on normal rest. Morton to Glasnow could be the plan Wednesday. Blake Snell could be an option as well. He is lined up to start Sunday but could be held back for the Wild Card Game.

As for the Athletics, they have not yet announced any Wild Card Game pitching plans, but president of baseball operations Billy Beane recently indicated it could be Mike Fiers or Sean Manaea. Here's what he said during a recent episode of the San Francisco Chronicle's A's Plus podcast:

"Certainly, matchups will come into it and listen, you don't want to get ahead of yourself, but the one who doesn't start that game, the other one, would be available when you go forward," Beane said. "That being said, Sean has been almost perfect since he's come back and I'd say right now, if you had him start that game, we'd all feel good. But we'd also feel good if Mike started that game, too. 

"Sean pitched on Thursday," Beane added later, "and ... he'll certainly be well-rested and not a bad guy to take the ball." 

Manaea has been excellent since returning from major shoulder surgery earlier this month. He's allowed four runs in five starts and 29 2/3 innings, and held opponents to a .160/.229/.289 batting line. Manaea has not thrown more than 96 pitches in any of his five starts, but the team has said he has no restrictions following surgery, just that they're being cautious.

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Sean Manaea
NYM • SP • #59
ERA1.21
WHIP.78
IP29.2
BB7
K30
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Fiers owns a 3.90 ERA in 184 2/3 innings this season. Frankie Montas, who's pitched to a 2.63 ERA in 96 innings this year, is not eligible to pitch in the postseason after serving an 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension. Montas returned this past week and allowed one run in six innings.

Beane indicated matchups will help determine their Wild Card Game starter, though the Rays have a tiny platoon split as a team. There is no obvious benefit to starting the left-handed Manaea or the right-handed Fiers:

  • Rays vs. RHP: .254/.326/.437
  • Rays vs. LHP: .256/.326/.422

Fifteen points of slugging percentage could be enough for the A's to go with Manaea over Fiers. Of course, the Wild Card Game figures to be an all-hands-on-deck game -- for both teams -- so perhaps both will pitch. With Blake Treinen out, Joakim Soria and Yusmeiro Petit have been A's manager Bob Melvin's go-to setup tandem in front of closer Liam Hendriks.

Over in the National League, the Nationals have announced Max Scherzer will start the Wild Card Game. Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin are expected to be available in relief.