The division races remain pretty much the same in both leagues as the New York Yankees continue to roll along in the American League East, leading the Tampa Bay Rays by eight games after they hit five home runs in a 10-2 rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team with the best record in Major League Baseball.
The Houston Astros continue to dominate the A.L. West as they are 7 1/2 games in front of the Oakland A's, who currently are tied with the Cleveland Indians for the second wild card spot with Tampa Bay being the top wild card. The Boston Red Sox are hanging around, but trail the A's and Tribe by 6 1/2 games for that final playoff position.
In the A.L. Central race, the Minnesota Twins have a 2 1/2 game edge over the Cleveland Indians. The Twins lost two of three (at home) to the Chicago White Sox earlier in the week while the Indians were being swept on the road in a three game set against the New York Mets. On Friday, the Indians topped Kansas City, 4-1 while the Twins lost at home to the lowly Detroit Tigers by a 9-6 score.
In the National League, the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves have been the hottest teams. Both teams have gone 8-2 in their last ten games played. The Braves have won six consecutive games, including a 2-1, 14 inning victory on Friday night in New York against the Mets. The Nationals pasted the host Chicago Cubs, 9-3 on Friday afternoon for their third straight win.
The Cubs' loss dropped them back into second place in the N.L. Central (1/2 game behind St. Louis) as the Cardinals defeated the visiting Colorado Rockies, 8-3 on Friday night. The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6-1 in Beer Town to stay within three games of the Cubs for the second wild card spot in the National League.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets are right there as well in the wild card chase. The Mets are two games behind the Cubs and the Phillies are just 2 1/2 games back for that wild card spot. Washington has the top wild card spot and they trail the Braves by six games in the division race. The Los Angeles Dodgers are simply playing out the schedule as they continue to dominate the N.L. West (20 game lead) and hold a seven game lead over Atlanta for the National League's best record.
AL STANDINGS (through August 23) NL STANDINGS (through August 23)
East East
New York 84-46 Atlanta 78-52
Tampa Bay 76-54 Washington 71-57
Boston 69-61 New York 67-61
Toronto 52-79 Philadelphia 66-61
Baltimore 41-88 Miami 46-81
Central Central
Minnesota 77-51 St. Louis 69-58
Cleveland 75-54 Chicago 69-59
Chicago 59-69 Milwaukee 66-62
Kansas City 45-84 Cincinnati 60-67
Detroit 39-87 Pittsburgh 53-75
West West
Houston 83-47 LA Dodgers 85-45
Oakland 74-53 Arizona 64-65
Texas 63-67 San Francisco 63-65
LA Angels 63-68 San Diego 59-68
Seattle 55-74 Colorado 58-71
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