The American League playoff picture will be in full focus as the Boston Red Sox host the Detroit Tigers in a regular season-ending, three-game series beginning on Friday night.

The teams holding the final two wild-card spots had opposite Thursday results, with the Red Sox (87-72) missing an opportunity to officially clinch their first postseason berth in three years via a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays, losing 6-1 in the series finale. Their magic number is still one; a win or a Houston Astros loss to the Los Angeles Angels would do the trick.

"Just one of those nights (on Thursday)," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "We've put ourselves in a good position, yet we know what we have to do and it's going to be at Fenway Park."

Detroit (86-73), meanwhile, snapped an eight-game sk

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