In regards to the previous post on the AL Wild Card Race, this simulator shows how much eight evenly matched teams can spread out over just 56 games. These are teams that are evenly matched, yet running the simulator multiple times, it is rare to see a difference of less than nine games between the top and bottom teams.

In that case, the Rays and Red Sox are not really out of it. They just have to hope they have the hot run, and the teams at the top have the cold runs.

(If you want to include the Twins, nine teams and seven games works as well.)