The White Sox have played 161 games this, as a game in the first half against baltimore was postponed (and never made up). The twins have played their full 162 games, and lead the Sox by 0.5 games. The twins also hold the tiebreaker (record against) 11-8. So why the extra game today?
The Sox are playing a makeup game against Detroit – that’s the game that they missed. The tiebreaker only comes into play when both teams would still make the playoffs. If the loser of the AL Central would win the wild-card spot, the tie-breaker would come into play and the Twins would take the division. As the Red Sox won the wild card, the loser of the AL Central misses the playoffs, so it gets decided by a tiebreaking game.
The suspended game against Baltimore was concluded on August 25 (Baltimore won.) The game being made up today resulted from the rain-outs on September 12 and 13 (only one of which was made up, on Sunday the 14th).
Okay, I was confused and thought today was Chicago against Minnesota. But now I’m confused again. If the sox win, they’ll have the same record as the twins, right? Then what, another game?
Yep, then they have to play a one game tie breaker with the Twins