The Rays looked head and shoulders above everyone else quite recently. They finished a 9-0 road trip for the first time in franchise history, running their record to 74-46, which at the time put them on pace to win 100 games. That would tie a franchise record (the Rays won 100 games in 2021).
Then they came home and got their teeth kicked in for three games by a mediocre Orioles team. Of course, that Orioles team is now tied for the third and final AL wild-card spot. They are two games under .500 and have rarely looked like an actual good team.
They haven't been more than two games above .500 once this season and haven't ended a day at .500 since they were 13-13 after a loss on April 24. They were sellers at the trade deadline. Speaking of deadline sellers, the Blue Jays are only one game out of a playoff spot.
The Tigers are also only one game out of a spot despite trading, well, you know. And, of course, there's the entire AL West. I was about to say something like, "what a joke," but this isn't funny.
We're truly in danger of witnessing not just a playoff team with a losing record, but a division winner with a sub-.500 mark. It's embarrassing to even be pondering such a thing in the middle of August. As of today, the AL West leader is the Houston Astros.
They were at one time 11 games under .500. They are currently one game over .500. The Rangers just had a pitiful week against weak competition and are three games under .500, but in the 2026 AL West, that's good enough to be two games out.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
