With three weeks left in the regular season, the American League is setting up for a thrilling finale. Every team in a playoff position has stumbled through the second half, making this one of the most unpredictable stretch runs in years.
For fans of chaos, the AL is ready to deliver. Through Sunday’s games, no team in a playoff spot has maintained dominance.
In the second half, the third-place Twins (22-25) and first-place Guardians (23-25) are below .500, while the Yankees (24-21) and only three games above. Once a juggernaut, the Orioles have slipped to a .500 mark (24-24) since the All-Star break. New York and Baltimore are dueling for the AL East title.
The contending teams with the best records in the second half — the first-place Astros and second-place Royals at 27-20 — are far from safe. The Royals are trying to regain their footing after a recent seven-game losing streak, and the Astros were just swept by the Reds last week.
Even FanGraphs, which gives the Yankees and Astros the best odds of AL teams to win the World Series, may be computing a little too cleanly. These teams may have a history of success, but with aging rosters, cracks are beginning to show.
New York’s Aaron Judge has played 141 games this season, and over the past 14 days, he’s slashing just .186/.340/.256 with no home runs. The likely 32-year-old MVP appears to be feeling the wear and tear.