Major League Baseball's divisional standings are in something of a pleasing jumble at the All-Star break. Survey those standings, and you'll find that five of MLB's six divisions can be classified as "hotly contested." That, as it turns out, makes for a bit of history:
Yes, never before have we had this many division races be this close at the break. That sets the stage for what could be a compelling stretch drive.
The exception, of course, is the National League East, where the juggernaut Braves lead the Marlins by 8 1/2 games. Otherwise, you've got:
The Rays with a 2.0-game lead over the Orioles in the AL East.The Guardians with a half-game lead over the Twins in the AL Central. The Rangers with a 2.0-game lead over the Astros in the AL West. The Reds with a 1.0-game lead over the Brewers in the NL Central. The Dodgers and Diamondbacks tied atop the NL West (with the Giants just 2 1/2 games out).Of these, the SportsLine Projection System sees the NL Central as being the most compelling. The system gives the Brewers a 49.4% chance of raising the flag, while the Reds are next in line at 40.3%. The Cubs and even the disappointing Cardinals are given puncher's chances at overtaking them. SportsLine gives better than 50% odds to a team in every other division.
Yes, the presence of three wild-card bids in each league saps a bit of the intensity from the divisional races, but the flags still matter. As such, the final two months and change of the regular season could set us up for some photo finishes leading into the playoffs.
