Fastball

The American League West is Having a Playoff Race We've Never Seen in the Divisional Era

The American League West is the tightest race in the last 50-plus years of baseball history with less than 10 games to play.

Brady Farkas

The American League West is Having a Playoff Race We've Never Seen in the Divisional Era
The American League West is Having a Playoff Race We've Never Seen in the Divisional Era /
In this story:

When Major League Baseball went to the expanded playoff format before the 2022 season, this is what they had in mind: Close playoff races.

The battles for the National League wild card, American League wild card and American League West are truly coming down to the wire and very well may not be decided until the final day of the season.

In fact, the battle for the American League West is one that we've never seen before in the divisional era.

Per Sarah Langs of MLB.com:

LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE AL WEST 

This is the 1st time that 3 teams in the same division were all within half a game or fewer of first place with all having 10 games or fewer left to play, since divisions began (1969) 

h/t@EliasSports

Entering play on Thursday, the Astros are in first place at 85-68. They lead both the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners by 0.5 games. Both of those teams are 84-68.

It's been a great year in the AL West, with the Mariners holding the season-tiebreaker over the Astros and the Rangers (thus far) holding the tiebreaker over the Mariners.

These teams will continue to play each other down the stretch as the division gets decided. For instance, the Mariners have their final 10 games against the Rangers and Astros.

The Mariners and Rangers play on Friday night at 8:05 p.m. ET as Bryce Miller (SEA) pitches against Dane Dunning (TEX).

The Astros open up a series on Friday with the Kansas City Royals, one of the worst teams in baseball.

Follow Fastball on FanNation on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball on FanNation coverage on social media by LIKING us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also subscribe to "The Payoff Pitch" podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Published
Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

Home/History