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MLB Wild Card Standings: Yankees, White Sox, Diamondbacks in the race

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Apr 30, 2017; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) scores in front of Baltimore Orioles catcher Welington Castillo (29) during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2017; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) scores in front of Baltimore Orioles catcher Welington Castillo (29) during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 30, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago White Sox left fielder Melky Cabrera (53) reacts after scoring a run against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago White Sox left fielder Melky Cabrera (53) reacts after scoring a run against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

AL Wild Card Standings

New York Yankees (15-8, .652, – GB, +2.0)/ Baltimore Orioles (15-8, .652, – GB, +2.0)

Tied atop the division, the Yankees and Orioles are also tied atop the Wild Card standings. Both teams have earned their place in the postseason race with powerful lineups and timely pitching.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has hit 10 home runs so far this season, which is best in the American League and is just one off the MLB lead. The Yankees rank second in the majors in team ERA (3.35), thanks in large part to an incredible bullpen (five relievers have posted ERAs under 2.00 so far) and a strong starting rotation headlined by Luis Severino, Michael Pineda and Masahiro Tanaka – all of whom have looked dominant at different times in April.

Baltimore has also gotten solid starting efforts from Dylan Bundy (3-1, 1.65) and Wade Miley (1-1, 2.32), but Ubaldo Jimenez (1-1, 7.43) and Kevin Gausman (1-2, 7.50) have struggled mightily. The Orioles also expected more offensively from 2016 home run champ Mark Trumbo and perennial All-Star Manny Machado. Nevertheless, like the Yankees, the O’s have an early two-game cushion in the Wild Card standings.

Chicago White Sox (13-10, .565, – GB)

The surprise of the young season is the White Sox, who sit three games over .500 through the first month of the season, and find themselves in the second Wild Card spot in the American League at the end of April. The biggest reason for Chicago’s success has been a pitching staff that boasts the best ERA in baseball (3.11), which combined with its defense has allowed a MLB low 83 runs thus far.

Boston Red Sox (13-11, .542, 0.5 GB)

Minnesota Twins (12-11, .522, 1.0 GB)

Los Angeles Angels (14-13, .519, 1.0 GB)

Detroit Tigers (12-12, .500, 1.5 GB)

Tampa Bay Rays (12-14, .462, 2.5 GB)

Oakland Athletics (11-14, .440, 3.0 GB)

Texas Rangers (11-14, .440, 3.0 GB)

Seattle Mariners (11-15, .423, 3.5 GB)

Toronto Blue Jays (8-17, .320, 6.0 GB)

Kansas City Royals (7-16, .304, 6.0 GB)

It’s far too early to count any team out of the Wild Card race, though the Kansas City Royals may be the first to go. No team in Major League baseball has scored fewer runs (63) or has a worse run differential (-37) so far this season.

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