In a 162-game marathon it’s easy to lose sight of which teams have played well following a rough first couple months or which teams have faded since a fast start, so with about three weeks remaining in the season let’s take a look at the best records since the All-Star break.
First up, the National League:
W L
Reds 39 19
Nationals 39 20
Phillies 34 21
Braves 35 23
Padres 34 22
Giants 34 22
Cincinnati, Washington, Atlanta, and San Francisco are likely all headed for the playoffs with the four best overall records in the league, but Philadelphia and San Diego have turned things around in a huge way after stumbling out of the gates. It’s too little too late for the Padres, but the Phillies have somehow climbed back to .500 and into legitimate Wild Card contention after going 37-50 in the first half.
And now the American League:
W L
Athletics 38 17
Orioles 34 22
Mariners 32 23
Rangers 32 23
Rays 32 23
What’s going on in Oakland right now is pretty crazy and last night was no exception. Seattle is obviously the biggest surprise in the AL, going 32-23 in the second half after going 36-51 in the first half. Like with the Padres it’s too little too late for the Mariners, but they’ve at least provided some reason for optimism following some pretty ugly seasons.
