MLB Standings
Understanding MLB Standings
MLB standing refer to the ranking system of all teams that participate in Major League Baseball. The rankings are updated regularly throughout the MLB season to reflect the current performance of each team. At the end of the regular season, the top teams from each division make it to the playoffs, while the others compete in the Wild Card round.
MLB fans and analysts closely follow the standings to predict which teams might make it to the playoffs and ultimately win the World Series. Spring Training standings are also used to predict which teams might perform well during the regular season but do not count towards the regular season team position.
All MLB standings are also the MLB playoffs rankings, offering a glimpse of MLB teams in the race to the postseason. The end of the season (or at least close to it) finds teams clinching playoff spots or division titles. Check the team name in the standings for such references. Â
MLB standings also include how teams fare home/away, their current streak, and their record in the last 10 games. These will affect teams’ odds for a given game, including run lines and moneylines.Â
Baseball Ranking Positions Explained
All MLB standings (which in turn offer a glimpse into the MLB playoffs standings), show the teams in their race to the postseason. The end of the season (or at least a little before it ends) finds teams clinching playoff spots or division titles.
MLB standings also include how teams fare home/away, their current streak, and their record in the last 10 MLB games. These will affect teams’ odds for a given game, including runlines and moneylines.
Everything affects a team’s odds, even if it seems like a trivial thing. And this is especially true of baseball, a sport where physical duress is really high. Keeping an eye on the central standings MLB is crucial for understanding how teams are performing and how it might impact their odds in upcoming games.
MLB Standings By Divisions
American League East:
The American League East is a battleground of historic franchises, where the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Tampa Bay Rays perennially compete for the top spot. The Red Sox boast a powerful lineup and consistent pitching, while the Yankees rely on their storied history and a blend of experienced and young talent. The Rays, known for their innovative approach, aim to disrupt the status quo. The Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays, while not in contention for the division title, have their own stories to tell, with the Orioles rebuilding and the Blue Jays showcasing a promising young core.
American League Central:
In the American League Central, the Chicago White Sox lead the charge with their potent offense and dominant pitching staff. They’re a team on the rise, with World Series aspirations. The Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers are all in various stages of rebuilding, focusing on developing their young talent. The Minnesota Twins, once a contender, are looking to rediscover their winning ways and make a playoff push.
American League West:
The American League West is a division where the Houston Astros, despite the controversies surrounding them, continue to assert their dominance with a high-powered offense. The Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels often contend for wild card spots, boasting strong lineups but struggling with consistency. The Texas Rangers are rebuilding, while the Seattle Mariners show promise and aim to end their playoff drought.
National League East:
The National League East is a competitive division featuring the Atlanta Braves, who won the World Series in recent years. The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets are perennial playoff hopefuls with strong pitching staffs and power hitters. The Miami Marlins are known for their youthful exuberance, and the Washington Nationals, despite recent setbacks, still possess the talent to surprise.
National League Central:
The National League Central has been a battleground for the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers, both known for their pitching prowess. The Cincinnati Reds are always a threat with their potent offense, while the Pittsburgh Pirates embark on a rebuilding journey. The Chicago Cubs, once champions, are in a transitional phase but still command respect.
National League West:
Out in the National League West, the Los Angeles Dodgers, with their star-studded roster and financial might, remain the team to beat. The San Francisco Giants consistently defy expectations with their mix of veterans and emerging stars. The San Diego Padres are a force to be reckoned with, fueled by young talent and a desire to win. The Colorado Rockies are known for their challenging home field conditions, while the Arizona Diamondbacks are rebuilding for a brighter future.
These MLB standings by divisions reflect the diverse narratives and aspirations of the teams in their respective divisions, showcasing baseball’s competitiveness and tradition.
MLB Wildcard Standings
Wildcard standings in Major League Baseball or MLB are like a bonus ticket to the playoffs. Not the top team? No worries, there’s a second chance.
To make this a little bit clearer: In the MLB, there are two leagues, the American League and the National League. Each league has three divisions. The best team from each division automatically goes to the playoffs. That’s six teams in total.
But what about the others? Here’s where the MLB wildcards come in. In each baseball league, the teams that didn’t win their division but have the best records get the wildcard spots. This means two teams from each league. So, we have four wildcard teams in total.
Let’s break down what you see on a wildcard standings chart. You got team names and some abbreviations and numbers regarding the Wild Card Standings that say which teams got it made. Let’s understand them.
| LETTER | MEANING |
|---|---|
| W | Stands for wins. That’s how many games the team has won. |
| L | ‘L’ is for losses or how many games the team has lost. |
| PCT | ‘PCT’ is for win percentage. It’s calculated by dividing the number of wins by the total number of games played. |
| GB | ‘GB’ means Games Back. It tells how far behind a team is from the top position in the wildcard race. |
| Home & Away | ‘HOME’ and ‘AWAY’ show the team’s record of wins and losses at home and away games. |
| RS & RA | ‘RS’ is Runs Scored, and ‘RA’ is Runs Allowed, showing how many runs a team has scored and allowed. |
| DIFF | ‘DIFF’ is the run differential, which is the difference between runs scored and runs allowed. |
| STRK | ‘STRK’ is the team’s current winning or losing streak. |
| L10 | ‘L10’ shows the team’s record for the last 10 games they played. |
| WCGB | WCGB’ or Wild Card Games Behind, telling you how many games a team needs to win to catch up to the current wildcard team |
| WCE# | ‘WCE#’ or Wild Card Elimination Number, showing how many combined wins by the top wildcard team and losses by the trailing team would eliminate the trailing team from the wildcard race. |
MLB Preseason Standings
Before the Major League Baseball (MLB) season officially kicks off, it’s important to take a close look at the MLB Preseason Standings. These rankings provide an early snapshot of how teams are expected to perform in the upcoming season. It’s worth noting that these preseason standings are used primarily for predictions and do not affect the regular season team positions.2023 Recap: A Season Like No Other in MLB Rankings
The 2023 MLB season was a whirlwind, a year where records were shattered and underdogs rose to the occasion. Within MLB rankings, this season stood out as one for the books. As they show, it’s clear that this year was not just about wins and losses but about leaving a mark.
Cream of the Crop
Leading the MLB rankings pack as MLB stat leaders, the Atlanta Braves showcased their dominance with the best regular season record of 104-58, while also topping the charts with a staggering +231 run differential. They were the titans at bat, averaging an awe-inspiring 5.85 runs per game. On the flip side, the Milwaukee Brewers were the fortress no one could breach, allowing the fewest runs per game at just 3.99. Amidst the highs, the Oakland Athletics faced a tough year, bottoming out with a -339 run differential.
The Tampa Bay Rays kicked things off with a bang, racing to a 13-0 record straight out of the gate, setting the pace with the longest winning streak of the season. Meanwhile, the Oakland Athletics and their fans endured a heart-wrenching 11-game losing streak, a tough pill to swallow for any team.
Where Legends Are Made
As the season wound down, the Texas Rangers emerged victorious, clinching the World Series title by toppling the Arizona Diamondbacks in a decisive 5-game series, smashing MLB rankings. The final showdown on November 1st was a masterpiece, with the Rangers shutting out the Diamondbacks 5-0, claiming their crown on enemy turf and upping their MLB playoff standings.
The year was jam-packed with jaw-dropping comebacks and eye-watering displays of resilience. The Pittsburgh Pirates staged the most epic rally, overcoming a 9-run deficit to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The Washington Nationals weren’t far behind, pulling off the biggest 9th inning comeback by erasing a 5-run deficit.
When it came to defiance, the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles were the comeback kings, each notching 48 wins even after trailing in their games. The Cleveland Guardians, the Miami Marlins, and the Philadelphia Phillies showed their late-game heroics, tying for the most 9th inning comebacks.
However, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks had their share of heartbreak, with the Rockies leading the league in blown leads and the Diamondbacks suffering the most in the 9th inning, toppling from their MLB rankings niche and truly affecting their MLB team stats.
This 2023 MLB season will be talked about for years to come; unexpected and twist-turning, it decidedly left us gaping!
Recap of the 2022 MLB Standings & Season
The 2022 MLB season took fans on a rollercoaster ride of epic proportions. It was a season filled with unprecedented moments, thrilling matchups, and astonishing records shattered. From the nail-biting ending of the playoff droughts to the stunning division collapses, this season had something for everyone. The media drama surrounding contract negotiations and the farewell tours of legendary players added an extra layer of excitement. And let’s not forget the adrenaline-inducing blockbuster trades that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
Regarding records, the season saw some remarkable feats. Aaron Judge, the Yankee powerhouse, stunned spectators by surpassing Roger Maris’ long-standing record of 61 home runs, thus making a name for himself in history. Not to be outdone, Albert Pujols, a living legend, joined the prestigious 700-home run club, etching his name among the all-time greats.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers made history with their franchise records, racking up an impressive 107 wins and surpassing the Yankees’ record for most wins by multiple runs.
The Home Run Derby displayed full, raw power and mostly talent. Julio Rodriguez emerged as a force to be reckoned with, breaking records left and right. Upon becoming the first player to hit over 30 home runs in two separate rounds, he set a new record for the most home runs hit by a Mariner player in that event. Joined by the young phenom Juan Soto, the Home Run Derby finals witnessed the first-ever showdown between two players under the age of 23.
The end of longstanding playoff droughts was a cause for celebration for two teams. The Philadelphia Phillies ended their dry spell, securing a playoff berth for the first time since 2011. However, the Seattle Mariners stole the spotlight by breaking the longest playoff drought in the four major sports, a staggering 21 seasons.Â
The season also had its fair share of division collapses, leaving fans stunned. The Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, and New York Mets held substantial leads in their divisions at various points, only to falter in the final stretch.
The St. Louis Cardinals capitalized on the Brewers’ downfall, while the Cleveland Guardians capitalized on the Twins‘ collapse. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves pulled off an extraordinary comeback, surpassing the Mets on the last weekend of the regular season.
Media drama loomed large over the 2022 MLB season, starting with a lockout that delayed the beginning of the season and highlighted the tension between MLB players and owners. The alteration of baseballs, resulting in fewer home runs, sparked widespread speculation and investigation. The season also captured Aaron Judge’s contract negotiations as he put pressure on the Yankees team to secure a future with the team.
Farewell tours tugged at the heartstrings of fans as St. Louis bid farewell to three legendary players. Yadier Molina, a stalwart behind the plate for 19 seasons, along with Albert Pujols, who returned to the Cardinals for one final year, captivated the crowd with their remarkable careers. Adam Wainwright, though unconfirmed in his retirement, joined the celebration as a key figure in the St. Louis franchise’s history.
Finally, the trade deadline introduced seismic shifts in the MLB landscape. The blockbuster trade involving Juan Soto moving from the Washington Nationals to the San Diego Padres created a formidable lineup alongside Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., setting the stage for a powerhouse team. Among the pivotal trades, pitcher Luis Castillo joined the Seattle Mariners.
