In accordance with MLB tiebreaking rules, the Blue Jays earned the right to host the game by winning their season series against the Orioles 10–9.

[5] This was the second Wild Card Game played between teams with identical regular season records, and the second time for the Baltimore Orioles.

Toronto and Baltimore turned to their Opening Day starters, as Marcus Stroman and Chris Tillman took the mound for their respective teams.

[8] The Toronto Blue Jays won the game 5–2 in the 11th inning when Edwin Encarnación hit a walk-off three-run homer off Ubaldo Jiménez.

[9] Zach Britton, the Orioles' closer and 2016 American League Reliever of the Year, controversially did not appear in the game.