Labor Day is here and while we are all excited for football season, the last month of the MLB regular season is also here, and it’s going to be fun. The 162-game schedule is brutal and it’s difficult to keep track of every team and where they are in the standings. So let’s take a closer look at the American League as we head into the home stretch of the season
The American League playoff picture has become pretty clear over the last week. The Tampa Bay Rays boast the best record in the AL and have a seven and a half game lead over the Yankees in the AL East. They are looking to have the best record in the division and home field advantage in the playoffs for the second year in a row. The Rays starting pitching has been depleted but they make up for it with a 3.13 team bullpen ERA, which is good for best in the AL and second in the MLB. They are very potent offensively as well led by veteran Nelson Cruz who sports a .502 slugging percentage and 27 home runs. The Rays also called up 20-year-old wunderkind Wander Franco who has gotten on base in a remarkable 35 games in a row.
The Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros both have holds and the AL Central and West respectively. However, they will be battling with each other for the rest of the year. Barring any shocking collapses, the White Sox and Astros will play each other in the first round of the playoffs as the two and three seeds. The question will be who gets home field advantage. That will go to the team with the better record from here on out.
The White Sox have a tremendous offense. Shortstop Tim Anderson is a spectacular leadoff hitter with a .302 batting average this year and the power in the middle of the order is elite. Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez have come back from injury on fire and have .546 and .496 slugging percentages respectively. Catcher Yasmani Grandal also just returned from the injured list and has provided another dimension to the offense. On the pitching side, Lance Lynn has had a resurgent year with a 2.59 ERA and an all-star selection for the second time in his 10-year career. Carlos Rodon has also been a fantastic starter with a 2.41 ERA and his first all-star selection in his career.
The Astros also blend pitching and hitting well. Yordan Alvarez has immense power with 28 home runs and a .536 slugging percentage this year. Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa are extremely solid in the middle of the lineup and while they may not be the most popular players just a few years removed from a massive cheating scandal, they are very talented. However, public enemy number one is Jose Altuve. He and his teammates have received an onslaught of boos and jeers on the road this year and that will only be amplified this postseason.
The AL Wild Card race is a joy for baseball fans. The two spots are currently held by fierce rivals, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. New York has the top spot as of now but barely and they have been scuffling over the last week. The power in the Yankee lineup is undeniable and led by sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. General Manager Brian Cashman bulked up the lineup even more at the trade deadline by acquiring Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers and Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs. Gerrit Cole is the leading candidate for the AL Cy Young award given to the top pitcher in the league. The Yankees unquestionably have the talent to make a deep run but can they put it all together at the right time.
The Red Sox have recently been ravaged by Covid-19 as 11 starters have hit the Covid list. They will need to weather the storm over the next few weeks if they want to hold onto the second wild card spot because a few teams are lurking. Chris Sale is the ace of the pitching staff and is coming off Tommy John surgery. He will need to be dominant if the Red Sox want to make the playoffs. A win or go home AL wild card game between two fierce rivals with Cole and Sale on the mound would be a dream for any baseball fan. Three games back of the Red Sox loom the surprising, red-hot Seattle Mariners. The Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics are one game behind the Mariners. The odds are against these teams but anything can happen.