Tony DeMarco

No, the Chicago White Sox didn’t do the unthinkable. Instead, after letting 13½ games of a 15-game lead vaporize in less than two months, they righted themselves just in time to complete an unexpected wire-to-wire act and join the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the October mix.

But another intriguing possibility still remains for the American League playoff foursome, and even fewer people thought this one was possible back in March. That would be the prospect of the Cleveland Indians taking the place of either the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees.

We’ll know the answer no later than Tuesday, and quite likely even sooner, as the perfect storm of a season-ending weekend is about to unfold — three teams, two playoff spots and only three days left before a play-in game or two could be needed to break a tie.

The focus will be on Fenway Park, where the Yankees — holding a precious one-game lead over the Red Sox — will spend the weekend hopefully sorting out the AL East winner. At the same time, the Indians — tied with the Red Sox for the wild-card spot — will be playing the White Sox at Jacobs Field. And oh by the way, the AL Most Valuable Player Award also could be on the line. Enough drama for you?

About the only thing we know for sure is somebody with at least 93 wins will be left at home next week, and that will be tough to take when the San Diego Padres already are in the National League playoffs as division champions still looking for their 80^th win. As for who might get in, and who might be left out, here are some things to consider:

Yankees-Red Sox: While an admittedly flawed Yankees team is peaking at the season’s most critical time — remember when they started the season 10-19? — the Red Sox are looking for a hero to emerge from an unraveling pitching staff, and unlike a year ago — when Curt Schilling, Keith Foulke and Pedro Martinez took turns — there are no likely candidates.

Special feature Reuters Stretch run: Breaking down MLB playoff races

Desperate for help in their bullpen, where untested rookies Jonathan Papelbon, Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarman have become key figures out of necessity, they worked a deal to bring in veteran lefty Mike Stanton just for the last four days of the season.

David Wells is a big-game pitcher and no doubt wants to take down his former team in the series opener. But he is pitching on a bad knee that recently received a cortisone shot. In his first start since the shot, he allowed three runs and six hits in six innings in beating the Orioles.

Ron Kuntz / Reuters file Mike Mussina could have the Yankees' hopes in his hand with a Sunday start against the Red Sox.

Wells will face Chien-Ming Wang, who couldn’t crack the season-opening rotation, but when he takes the mound Friday, there will be little worry among the Yankees that the rookie right-hander will be rattled by the circumstances. Instead, they expect his 95-mph power sinker to be as effective as it has been in his last two starts — both victories — when he allowed five runs in 15 innings and recorded 38 groundball outs to go with seven strikeouts.

The rainout in Boston on Monday scuttled a scheduled Randy Johnson-Schilling showdown on Saturday, but the contrast between Johnson and knuckleballer Tim Wakefield holds its own appeal. Despite 30 or so mph difference in their best pitches, the two have been their team’s ace down the stretch.

If it does come down to Sunday, the scheduled pitching match-up is Schilling and Mike Mussina, and with both battling through injuries and nowhere near their career forms, who knows what might happen. About the only thing you can expect is a high-scoring affair, given how both veteran right-handers have pitched lately.

Schilling has made seven starts since returning to the rotation, and only two have been good. In both of those, he allowed two runs and earned victories. But in the other five, he allowed 24 earned runs in 30.1 innings, and picked up three losses. His season ERA sits at an unseemly 5.98, or a full two and one-half runs above his career mark of 3.40.

MORE FROM BASEBALL

Baseball Section Front

GMs head out to work on offseason trades Report: Mets, Phillies interested in Figgins MLB blog: Tigers listening to offers for Granderson MLB blog: Can Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies get Halladay? Report: Angels still might re-sign Lackey Blyleven: Pitching to be had beyond Halladay Varitek exercises option to remain with Red Sox MLB blog: Mariners are bringing back Griffey ... why? Report: Mets begin discussions for Holliday Wainwright: Holliday wants to return to Cards Baseball Section Front   Add Baseball headlines to your news reader: