DETROIT – October is right around the corner. The Major League Baseball season that started in late March, nearly six months ago, is finally coming to a close. But for six teams, 161 games wasn't enough to cement their positions heading into the postseason, so all the work these players have put in over the 191 days since the first game of the year hinges on nine innings on Sunday afternoon.

Who ever said baseball isn't exciting?

Here is a breakdown of the three races that have come down to the wire and will only be decided when the dust settles Sunday evening.

AL Central: Tigers vs. Royals

Situation: Detroit leads Kansas City by 1 game, Detroit won season series 13-6

Fans around Detroit are all too familiar with this race. The Tigers spent much of the second half of the season trailing the Kansas City Royals before taking a slim lead on Sept. 12 and hanging on by a thread ever since. Now, the overwhelming preseason favorite to win the AL Central Division will have to win one last game to make sure it avoids the dangerous Game 163 and potential wildcard matchup early next week.

Sunday games:
Twins (Kyle Gibson) @ Tigers (David Price) -- 1:08 p.m.
Royals (Yordano Ventura) @ White Sox (Chris Bassitt) -- 2:10 p.m.

Detroit will put its fate in the hands of the biggest trade deadline acquisition of the year, David Price. Price has struggled during his time in Detroit, going 3-4 with a 3.97 ERA. The former Cy Young Award winner owns a 3.18 ERA against Minnesota this season, but the Tigers have lost 10 of 18 meetings with the Twins.

Kansas City turns to rookie sensation Yordano Ventura to give them a chance at the division title. Ventura has put together a 3.07 ERA en route to his 14-win season and owns a 1.62 ERA and four wins in September. The Royals look to polish off a season of dominating the White Sox by finishing 13-6 in the series.

Whats at stake: Unlike many races, the Tigers and Royals are not battling for a playoff spot. Both teams will be in the postseason but hope to avoid the dangerous one-game wildcard on Tuesday. If this race ends in a tie, it will all come down to a Game 163 in Detroit on Monday, with the loser hosting the wildcard game and the winner traveling to Baltimore for the ALDS.

NL Central: Cardinals vs. Pirates

Situation: St. Louis leads Pittsburgh by 1 game, St. Louis won season series 11-8

On June 22, nearly halfway through the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates were 37-38 and in fourth place in the NL Central Division. Now they sit just one game behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the top spot.

Sunday games:
Pirates (Gerrit Cole) @ Reds (Johnny Cueto) -- 1:10 p.m.
Cardinals (Adam Wainwright) @ Diamondbacks (Josh Collmenter)

Despite the struggles down the stretch for the Cardinals, they have to feel good about their chances to hold onto the division on Sunday with their ace, Adam Wainwright, going up against the worst team in baseball.

At the same time, Pittsburgh will have to go through Johnny Cueto, one of the top pitchers in the National League, to give themselves a chance at the division. Gerrit Cole has won his last four starts for the Pirates to move to 11-5 on the season.

Whats at stake: The Pirates and Cardinals are in the exact same position as the Tigers and Royals (they even have the same records). The division winner will battle the Dodgers in the NLDS, and the team that finishes second will host the wildcard game on Wednesday.

AL wildcard: Athletics vs. Mariners

Situation: Oakland leads Seattle by 1 game, Seattle won season series 10-9

The A's and Mariners are the only two teams left battling for a postseason berth. Oakland has been free falling for over a month in what is being called one of the greatest collapses in baseball history. Unfortunately for the Mariners, an untimely five-game losing streak last week put them in a must-win position Sunday.

Sunday games:
Athletics (Sonny Gray) @ Rangers (Nick Martinez)
Angels (Cory Rasmus) @ Mariners (Felix Hernandez)

Oakland has a chance to finish off its epic collapse with a flourish, as a loss on Sunday would give the worst team in the American League a 3-1 series win over the A's. Sonny Gray has been wearing down late in the season, posting an ERA well over 4.00 in August and September.

Seattle will turn to its franchise player Felix Hernandez to end the season on a positive note Sunday against the top team in baseball. The Mariners have won three straight games since their five-game losing streak and need a little more help from the Rangers to extend their season.

Whats at stake: Oakland and Seattle are fighting for one playoff spot, so this race means more than any other in baseball. If the two teams are tied after Sunday's games, then a Game 163 in Seattle on Monday will decide who wins the final wildcard spot.

Nineteen MLB teams have been eliminated from postseason contention, and five of the remaining teams already know where they stand. But for the six teams listed above, it will take all 162 games to decide their fates.