Tight races and trade buzz set up wild second half in MLB

Major League Baseball has reached the 2025 All-Star break, which is always a good time to review the standings and see which teams can contend over the final 70 games, and which ones are likely done.

American League

In the American League East, it's a tight race. The Toronto Blue Jays caught fire at the end of June and early July to take a slim lead in the division. Toronto sits at 55-41, just two games ahead of the Yankees at 53-43. Boston, meanwhile, won its last ten games before the break and is now 53-45, only three games back. Even Tampa Bay is in the mix, 5.5 games behind. With under 70 games left, four teams are within six games of each other.

In the AL Central, the surprise story of the season is the Detroit Tigers, who lead all of Major League Baseball. Yes, the Tigers are pacing the entire league with a 59-38 record. They also hold an 11.5-game lead over second-place Minnesota in the division, despite dropping their last four games before the break.

The Houston Astros lead the AL West by five games over the Seattle Mariners. The defending champion Texas Rangers have struggled with consistency and sit 8.5 games back. Houston has been especially strong at home, boasting a 33-19 record, the best in the division by a wide margin.

National League

In the National League East, the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets are in a neck-and-neck battle. The Phillies are 55-41, and the Mets are right behind at 55-42. Philadelphia has a +63 run differential compared to +45 for New York. The Marlins and Braves are both 10.5 games back, with Atlanta being one of the league’s biggest disappointments.

In the NL Central, the Milwaukee Brewers finished the first half with seven straight wins, but they still trail the Chicago Cubs by one game. The Cubs are 57-39, while Milwaukee is 56-40. The Cardinals remain in the mix at 51-46, despite a 22-26 record on the road. Chicago leads all of baseball in run differential at +119.

Out West, the Los Angeles Dodgers struggled toward the end of the first half but still hold a 5.5-game lead over the San Diego Padres. The Dodgers are 33-17 at home. The San Francisco Giants are hanging around, too, with a 52-45 record, just 6.5 games out of first.

Postseason Picture

If the playoffs started today, here’s what the first round would look like:

American League

6. Seattle Mariners at 3. Toronto Blue Jays - winner faces 2. Houston Astros
5. Boston Red Sox at 4. New York Yankees - winner faces 1. Detroit Tigers

National League

6. San Diego Padres at 3. Philadelphia Phillies - winner faces 2. Chicago Cubs
5. New York Mets at 4. Milwaukee Brewers - winner faces 1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Teams in the Hunt

With less than three weeks until the trade deadline, these teams are currently outside the playoff picture but within five games of a spot:

• Tampa Bay Rays

• Minnesota Twins

• Kansas City Royals

• Cleveland Guardians

• Texas Rangers

• Los Angeles Angels

• St. Louis Cardinals

• Cincinnati Reds

• San Francisco Giants

• Arizona Diamondbacks

That’s 12 teams currently in the playoffs and 10 more within five games. A total of 22 teams are either in or fighting for a spot.

Likely Sellers

That leaves eight teams who will likely be sellers at the deadline:

• Colorado Rockies

• Pittsburgh Pirates

• Washington Nationals

• Atlanta Braves

• Miami Marlins

• Oakland Athletics

• Chicago White Sox

• Baltimore Orioles

Enjoy the All-Star break, but get ready for chaos across MLB over the next 3 to 12 weeks.