Three of the six Major League Baseball divisions officially have champions. On September 17, the Los Angeles Angels clinched the American League West with a 5-0 win over the Seattle Mariners. That win dropped the Angels’ magic number to one, so they needed the Oakland Athletics to lose to the MLB-worst Texas Rangers. The Athletics obliged by losing 6-1, giving the title to the Halos.
The Angels joined the Baltimore Orioles (A.L. East) and Washington Nationals (N.L. East), who both clinched their respective divisions two nights earlier. These two teams set up a potential World Series battle between two cities less than 45 miles apart from each other — assuming they can both get by their playoff opponents.
Whereas Baltimore would likely have to make it through the team with the best record in baseball, the Angels, Washington still waits to see who becomes their potential postseason opponents. Baltimore is only three game behind Los Angeles for the best record, so in a seven-game ALCS, they have a very good chance at reaching the World Series. Both teams are red hot at this time, and both will have a chance to reset their rotations, rest their regulars, and get their backups some at bats leading into the postseason. Either could end up with the top seed in the American League.
See how the three remaining divisions stack up for the season’s final 11 days.
A.L. Central
All that remains in the American League is the A.L. Central. As play begins on September 18, the Detroit Tigers hold the slimmest possible lead — 1/2 game — over the Kansas City Royals. Detroit’s magic number is 11, but with only a half-game lead, that 11 could easily become Kansas City’s magic number. Both teams have Thursday night off. Starting Friday, they play each other in a three-game weekend series in Kansas City. The winner of that series will hold first place. Following that crucial series, their remaining schedules go as follows:
- Detroit ends the regular season with a seven-game home stand that includes three with the Chicago White Sox and four with the Minnesota Twins.
- Kansas City goes to the Cleveland Indians for three games plus the completion of the August 31 suspended game. They finish up with four games in Chicago.
Advantage: Kansas City because of the home games with Detroit
N.L. Central
The St. Louis Cardinals hold a 2-1/2 game lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates with a magic number of 9. Here are the remaining schedules for each team:
- St. Louis will finish its series with the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday night. They will then host the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend before traveling to Wrigley Field for three with the Chicago Cubs beginning Monday. After on off day Thursday, St. Louis finishes with three games at the Arizona Diamondbacks.
- Pittsburgh finishes with the Boston Red Sox Thursday night. Then, they host Milwaukee for the weekend series. The Pirates end the season on a seven-game road trip to Atlanta for four and Cincinnati for three.
Advantage: St. Louis. They have a nice schedule and a two-game lead already.
N.L. West
Finally, out West, the Los Angeles Dodgers hold a two-game lead over the San Francisco Giants with a magic number of nine. The two teams have these remaining schedules:
- Los Angeles begins a four-game series with the Cubs in Chicago Thursday night. Then, the showdown between the Dodgers and the Giants returns to L.A. for three games from Monday through Wednesday. The Dodgers take next Thursday off before ending the season at home against the Colorado Rockies.
- San Francisco takes Thursday night off and travels south to visit the San Diego Padres over the weekend. Next, they have to face L.A. in Chavez Ravine. The Giants then return home for the season’s final four days and host the Padres.
Advantage: Los Angeles. The teams have similar-strengthened opponents, but L.A. already has the two-game lead.