MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — With the Major League Baseball regular season nearing its finish, several division and Wild Card races remain wide open heading into Thursday night's slate.

From a deadlocked American League West to a half-game race in the AL Central, a handful of games could reshape the postseason picture before the night is over.

Here are four games worth keeping an eye on Thursday.

Tigers at White Sox — 6:40 p.m.

Few games carry more weight Thursday than Detroit's visit to Chicago.

The White Sox enter the night 77-75, just a half-game behind the 78-75 Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central. Chicago also currently occupies the American League's final Wild Card spot, giving the White Sox two potential paths to October.

Detroit enters at 72-80 and is running out of time to keep its own postseason hopes alive.

A White Sox victory would keep the pressure on Cleveland in the division race while also helping Chicago protect its slim advantage over the teams chasing the final Wild Card.

Red Sox at Rangers — 7:05 p.m.

Texas finds itself in the middle of two races at once.

The Rangers enter Thursday 76-76, tied with Houston atop the AL West. Texas is also directly behind Chicago in the race for the final AL Wild Card spot.

That makes every remaining game critical, beginning with Thursday's matchup against Boston.

The Red Sox are 82-70 and currently hold the second AL Wild Card position, giving Boston considerably more breathing room than several of the teams fighting beneath it.

A Rangers win could have implications in both the AL West and Wild Card races depending on what happens in Houston and Chicago.

Royals at Astros — 6:15 p.m.

While Texas faces Boston, Houston will host Kansas City in another game with major AL West implications.

The Astros and Rangers both enter the night at 76-76, leaving virtually no margin for error as the regular season winds down.

Houston currently holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Texas, making the Astros' position particularly important if the clubs remain even in the standings.

Kansas City has been eliminated from postseason contention, but the Royals have an opportunity to play spoiler against a Houston team trying to secure another division championship.

Phillies at Mets — 6:15 p.m.

The tightest races are primarily in the American League, but Philadelphia still has plenty on the line in the National League.

The Phillies enter Thursday at 84-68, sitting a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs for the top NL Wild Card position.

Philadelphia is also still chasing Atlanta in the NL East, although the Braves hold a 4½-game advantage with the regular season quickly winding down.

The Phillies have some separation from San Diego in the Wild Card standings, but earning the top Wild Card position would give Philadelphia home-field advantage in the opening round.

The Mets have been eliminated, leaving New York in the role of spoiler during the four-game series.

What to watch

The American League should command most of the attention Thursday night.

Cleveland leads Chicago by just a half-game in the AL Central, Houston and Texas enter the night tied atop the AL West, and the White Sox hold only a narrow advantage in the battle for the final Wild Card berth.

With several of those contenders playing at nearly the same time, the playoff picture could look considerably different by the end of the night.

This article will be updated daily.