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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Charles Curtis

MLB playoff picture: How each division is shaking out with 1.5 months to go

The MLB trade deadline is far behind us. And while we’ve seen some teams looking like they could fall out of the playoff race, you just never know in mid-August — a franchise could reel off 10 straight wins and be right in the thick of it again.

So it’s a good time to take a snapshot now that it’s mid-August — the divisional races are FAR from over, and the same goes for the Wild Card, which we’ll include below as we look at the playoff picture. And THAT race has so many teams vying for the three spots in both the National and American Leagues.

Let’s jump in:

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AL East

(AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Division leader: Baltimore Orioles

Right there: Tampa Bay Rays (3 games behind)

Probably out: Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees

All five teams are above .500 … but the O’s and Rays (the latter of whom has been up and down of late) are the cream of the crop.

AL Central

(AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Division leader: Minnesota Twins

Right there: Cleveland Guardians (4.5 games behind)

Probably out: Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals

A meh division all over the place. The Twins could win it, but they’ve got to be better on the road (29-34).

AL West

(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Division leader: Texas Rangers

Right there: Houston Astros (3.5 games behind)

Probably out: Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland A’s

The fact that the Rangers are holding off the Astros proves Texas is legit. Worth noting: The Angels appear to be done here, which is rough given what they tried to do at the deadline and now face with Shohei Ohtani’s free agency this winter.

NL East

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Division leader: Atlanta Braves

Right there: … no one.

Probably out: Philadelphia Phillies, Miami Marlins, New York Mets, Washington Nationals

Yawn. The Braves and their 76-42 record can coast to the postseason.

NL Central

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Division leader: Milwaukee Brewers

Right there: Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds (both 3.5 games behind)

Probably out: Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals

Now THIS is fun. The Cubs have come on strong and the Reds are one of the most fun teams in baseball.

NL West

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Division leader: Los Angeles Dodgers

Right there: … No one.

Probably out: San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies

The Giants are the closest … but they’re nine games out.

AL and NL Wild Cards

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

AMERICAN LEAGUE: The Rays, Astros and Blue Jays all have spots at the moment. The Mariners, Red Sox, Yankees and Angels are all within seven games.

NATIONAL LEAGUE: The Phillies, Giants and Marlins all have spots at the moment. The Cubs, Reds, Diamondbacks and Padres are all within 6.5 games.

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