The AL wild-card game was a thriller, won by the Blue Jays 5–2 in 11 innings via Edwin Encarnacion’s walk-off three-run homer. Had the blast been off of closer Zach Britton, the Orioles could say that they lost with their best, but curiously, Britton—who had warmed up in the eighth inning—wasn’t in the game. Ubaldo Jimenez, who finished the season with a 5.44 ERA, was.
It was a situation at least somewhat reminiscent of Game 4 of the 2003 World Series between the Yankees and Marlins, or Game 4 of the 2013 NL Division Series between the Braves and Dodgers.