The Boston Red Sox are 5 games over .500 at 48-43.
The Boston Red Sox would be 1st place in the AL Central by 2.5 games over the division leading Guardians, who are 45-45.
The Boston Red Sox are last place in the AL East.
That sucks.
I get it. I like divisions. They foster rivalries and keep more teams in playoff contention towards the end of the season. That’s great and all, but that just means that a team that did significantly better than a division leader (that will be hosting a playoff series) could be missing the playoffs. Five of the top seven teams in the American League are in the AL East, and that number could change to five of six pretty easily.
Six teams from the league make the playoffs each season. Currently, four AL East teams deserve to be in the playoff picture. Only three would make the playoffs if the postseason started today. Regardless of record, only four could even possibly make the playoffs. I can already envision the Red Sox finishing the season at 92-70 and missing the playoffs because all the other AL East teams have 93+ wins and the Guardians won their division at 79-83. That doesn’t feel right.
Now, in all honesty, I would be furiously arguing in favor of the division system if it were the 79-83 Red Sox making the playoffs by winning the AL East. I’d be sanctimoniously declaring that the history behind division rivalries must be preserved at all costs, and if the 92-70 Cleveland Guardians must be sacrificed to accomplish this, then so be it. But when it’s happening to my team, I suddenly become a warrior for a fair outcome based entirely on merit of season-long accomplishment.
It’s kind of incredible that the AL East cannibalizes itself (by obviously playing the most games against each other), but all five teams are still well within the playoff hunt. They’re way better than the other divisions. Iron sharpens iron. Let them all in.
You know what? That’s all I have. There’s no sports now other than the MLB All Star game, so I figured I’d just write about how the Sox deserve to make the playoffs, in part just because I love the playoff atmosphere at Fenway. Unfortunately, the rules are the rules, and the Sox will have to make the postseason the good old fashioned way.
By the way, the MLB All Star game is easily the best all star game in sports because it’s the only one that actually resembles the sport it represents. The game is full of high quality exciting play, and I hope everyone enjoys it. Aidan will write about that tomorrow.
Also, the Yankees can lick my cojones. They’re washed without Judge. The Red Sox are coming for them. Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. Goodnight everyone.