Mike Freire - MLB Playoff Standings (18 Games Left)

OK, so we are getting down to the "nitty-gritty", so to speak.  There are roughly 18 games left in the MLB regular season, which is approximately six series or 11% of the total number of games scheduled during a regular season (162).  That means that the playoff races (Divisions and Wild Cards) are getting closer to their respective conclusion(s) and the overall picture should be getting much clearer in the coming days.

Since more and more teams are dropping by the wayside (looking at you, Washington), I will focus on both league’s playoff pictures instead of everyone’s record, etc.  

With that said, here we go;

American League (current standings and projected records)

1.     Boston           98-46  (.681)      110-52

2.     Houston         90-54  (.625)      101-61

3.     Cleveland      81-63  (.563)       91-71

W1.  New York      90-54  (.625)       101-61

W2.  Oakland        87-57  (.604)         98-64

Since the last time I posted a "standings" article (Labor Day or a week ago), the Red Sox, Astros and Yankees have basically been "holding serve" and their respective positions are starting to become more of a reality, if you will.  Two of the three division leaders have

at least an 8 game lead (BOS and CLE), so we may not get much drama from those divisional races, but the A's continue to push the defending champion Astros and currently sit just three games back with time left to make things interesting (although both teams will be in the playoffs, regardless of who claims the division).

The AL Wild Card races will likely be anti-climatic as the Yankees and A's have pulled away from the Mariners and the resurgent Rays, who are on pace to win 89 games each, but they picked a bad time to be in the American League!  As of this article, the second Wild Card team (A's) are 7.5 games ahead, which is a comfortable lead at this point.

The Red Sox have "cooled off" since the middle of Summer, but they are still on pace to win 110 games and continue to be the early favorite to win the World Series (especially if Chris Sale is available).  You still have two additional teams that could win over 100 games in the regular season(the Astros and the Yankees), with the Yankees having the misfortune to be in the same division as the Red Sox (not that I am shedding too many tears for our crosstown rivals).

As of this article, New York would host Oakland in the Wild Card, with the winner going to Boston for the Divisional Series.  Houston would host Cleveland in the other Divisional Series and the winners would meet in the ALCS.  Houston and Boston, could potentially meet in the ALCS in what would be an epic battle.

***As crazy as it sounds, the Yankees could win 101 regular season games and exit the playoffs after one game, should they lose to the A's in this scenario.

National League (current standings and projected records)

1.     Chicago          83-60  (.580)      94-68

2.     Atlanta            80-64  (.556)       90-72

3.     Colorado        79-64  (.552)       89-73

W1.  Milwaukee     83-62  (.572)       93-69

W2.  St. Louis         80-64  (.556)       90-72

***There are three additional teams (LA, Arizona and Philadelphia) that are within 5 games of the Wild Card pace, although time is starting to run out a bit.

Unlike the American League, all three of the division leaders have relatively small leads (5 games maximum), so we will likely have an interesting divisional chase in at least two of the three divisions of the National League (Atlanta is starting to separate themselves from the Phillies, with thanks owed to the Mets, of late)

The Wild Card chase is also starting define itself with the Brewers and Cardinals pulling away from the rest of the pretenders.  Heck, the Brewers may pass the Cubs before all is said and done, not to mention the unsettled status with the Rockies, Dodgers and Diamondbacks in the NL West.

All of this is to say that handicapping the NL playoff picture is much more problematic, even with close to 90% of the regular season complete.

IF the season ended today, Milwaukee would host St Louis in the Wild Card with the winner going to Chicago for the Divisional Series.

Atlanta would host Colorado in the other Divisional Series and the winners would meet in the NLCS.  Picking the potential NLCS is much more difficult, but if we rely on the home teams for now, you could have the Braves and Cubs going at it for a chance to reach the World Series against  either Boston or Houston, most likely. 

Things continue to be very interesting (especially in the NL) as we head towards the finish line.

Who is your early favorite?