Jamie Nye: Playoff baseball has come early

We don’t have to wait until October to get some intense, pressure-filled baseball.

The Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays, Athletics and Mariners can all grab the final two playoff spots. The Jays and Yankees tangle for three games this week, as do the Athletics and Mariners.

Those are playoff series as much as the wild-card game will be.

The Red Sox are lucky enough to take on weaker teams in the Orioles and Nationals while the other four go toe to toe.

If you wait until the playoffs to watch baseball, you might as well start tuning in this week because there will be desperation, emotion, and the tactical managing that you get when the pressure is at an all-time high.

For the Jays specifically, their rotation lines up quite well for this three-game set against the Yankees. Taking two of three is imperative. Anything less and they’ll need a sweep against Baltimore and help to end the season.

Screw the wild-card game. The playoffs start right now in Major League Baseball, especially in the American League.