1. Los Angeles Angels (96-60) (Last Week 1) – The Angels are poised to claim baseball’s best record heading into the playoffs with a 2.5-game lead over Baltimore and six games remaining against division rivals Oakland and Seattle.
2. Baltimore Orioles (93-62) (LW 2) – The Orioles have clinched their first division title since 1997. They will now likely play the winner of the A.L. Central in the ALDS.
3. Washington Nationals (91-64) (LW 4) – The Nationals have wrapped up the National League East with the largest division lead in baseball. And they are sprinting toward the finish, having won eight of nine with just seven games against the Mets and Marlins remaining.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (89-67) (LW 3) – The Dodgers have assured themselves a spot in October, it’s just a matter of whether it’s as N.L. West champions or a Wild Card team. With a 4.5-game lead and a magic number of three, it looks like they’ll sit atop the West for the second straight year.
5. St. Louis Cardinals (87-69) (LW 6) – It’s become a given in the National League that the Cardinals make the playoffs, and have done it again this year. St. Louis is making its fifth postseason appearance in five years.
