Texas Rangers Lead AL West Despite Sitting at .500

The American League West has been undeniably one of MLB’s most fascinating divisions this season.

And it’s not because there have been dominant teams competing for the top spot. It’s actually been the opposite. Nobody has really taken the reins.

Four of the five teams in the AL West have spent time flipping spots near the top of the division, and most recently, with a sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend, the Texas Rangers are now in first place.

But what makes it so interesting is that the Rangers are just 42-42. A .500 team is currently sitting at the top of the division.

That says everything about how strange this race has been. The Seattle Mariners are just half a game behind Texas at 42-43. The Houston Astros are only one game back at 42-44. The Athletics are two games back at 40-44. Even the last-place Los Angeles Angels, despite sitting at 36-49, are only 6.5 games out.

There just hasn’t been a team that has taken control of the division and run away with it.

At this point in the season, with the All-Star break approaching, that sets up an incredibly interesting race down the stretch. Every series matters. Every small winning streak can change the standings. And every team outside of the Angels can realistically convince itself that the division is still right there for the taking.

That’s what makes baseball so fascinating with the way playoff positioning is structured.

There are teams around the league with better records than every AL West club that aren’t currently in position to win their division. But all it takes is finishing first, and right now, that team is the .500 Rangers.

So keep an eye on the AL West. It may not be the best division in baseball, but it might be the most interesting.