MLB Second-Half Surge: Predicting Each League's Playoff Teams

Eric SteitzJun 1, 2018

The MLB All-Star break is over. Teams get back to the daily grind of the regular season, but with a revamped sense of urgency.

With just under half of the season's games remaining for most teams, five out of the six division races have teams within four games of the leader.

The exception is the American League East where the New York Yankees lead the Baltimore Orioles by seven games.

That race is still far from over as the other three teams in the division are within 2.5 games of the O's.

There is still a significant amount of season left. As any baseball fan knows, anything can happen with just under three months left.

About the only thing we can rule out, the Chicago Cubs will not be winning this year's World Series. There is, however, always next year.

With the division races wide open and the additional Wild Card spot, teams have more to play for this season. Avoiding that play-in game and saving some innings will be huge for a postseason push, especially if you have a controversial innings limit. Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals?

With that said, here is how I see the league standings finishing, including wild cards.

American League

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The American League champion won't have home-field advantage in the World Series after an 8-0 win by the National League in the All-Star game, but the AL currently boasts the two best records in baseball.

That could make them a favorite come the Fall Classic.

How the league stacks up currently

AL East

New York Yankees 52-33

Baltimore Orioles 45-40 7.0 GB

Tampa Bay Rays 45-41 7.5 GB

Boston Red Sox 43-43 9.5 GB

Toronto Blue Jays 43-43 9.5 GB

AL Central

Chicago White Sox 47-38

Cleveland Indians 44-41 3.0 GB

Detroit Tigers 44-42 3.5 GB

Kansas City Royals 37-47 9.5 GB

Minnesota Twins 36-49 11.0 GB

AL West

Texas Rangers 52-34

Los Angeles Angels 48-38 4.0 GB

Oakland A's 43-43 9.0 GB

Seattle Mariners 36-51 11.0 GB

Who's in?

AL East Champion: New York Yankees

AL Central Champion: Cleveland Indians (They have uniforms and everything.)

AL West Champion: Los Angeles Angels

Wild Cards: Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays

AL Champion: Texas Rangers

National League

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The dynamic of the National League has changed substantially in the last decade. From the Cubs and Cardinals being the top of the Central to the Nationals being bottom dwellers, this year's National League looks much different.

An All-Star game win gives the NL home-field advantage for the World Series. We will see if they can take advantage of that.

Where they stack up now:

NL East

Washington Nationals 49-34

Atlanta Braves 46-39 4.0 GB

New York Mets 46-40 4.5 GB

Miami Marlins 41-44 9.0 GB

Philadelphia Phillies 37-50 14.0 GB

NL Central

Pittsburgh Pirates 48-37

Cincinnati Reds 47-38 1.0 GB

St. Louis Cardinals 46-40 2.5 GB