MLB playoffs: What is Yankees’ magic number to clinch home field for Wild Card Game vs. A’s?

The New York Yankees will face the Oakland A’s in the American League Wild Card on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 (10/3/18). Any combination of Yankees wins and A’s losses which equals two will ensure the Wild Card Game will be played at Yankee Stadium.

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The Yankees know who they will face in the American League Wild Card Game (Oakland A’s).

The Yankees know when they’ll take the field for MLB playoffs (Wednesday, Oct. 3).

Pretty soon, the Yankees will know where their postseason run will begin.

The #Yankees magic number now is just 2 to assure that their wild-card game next Wednesday against the Oakland A’s is at Yankee Stadium.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 26, 2018

Any combination of Yankees wins and A’s losses between now and the end of the regular season which totals two will give the Yankees home-field advantage for the wild card.

The A’s had been in the running for the American League West division title.

But Oakland lost, 10-8, in 11 innings on Tuesday to the Seattle Mariners, which clinched the division title for the Houston Astros.

McCutchen open to re-signing with Yankees

So here is how the playoffs are shaping up in the American League:

Wild Card on Oct. 3: Yankees vs. A’s.

American League Division Series #1 beginning Oct. 5: Indians (AL Central champions) vs. Astros (AL West champions).

American League Division Series #2 beginning Oct. 5: Yankees/A’s vs. Red Sox (AL East champions).

The Astros won their 100th game of the season on Tuesday night. They will have home-field advantage over the Indians in the ALDS.

The Red Sox have won a major-league best 106 games and will have home-field advantage through the World Series.

Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Tuesday that Cy Young candidate Chris Sale will be on the mound for Game 1 of the ALDS at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.