One year after the NL East had two 100-win teams – and a third team reached the World Series – and the AL East nearly became the first division in MLB history to have all five teams finish above .500, both divisions are having strong seasons.
But, which division is the best?Â
Ranking the Best MLB Divisions in 2023
1. AL East
The overall strength of the AL East cannot be ignored. At the top of the division, the Orioles have a steady grip on the No. 1 position. However, the club is about to hit a brutal stretch in the schedule, facing the Angels, Rays, and Astros in the coming weeks. Will they hold off the Rays for the remainder of the regular season? Tampa Bay is just 3.5 games back from Baltimore and would lock down a coveted wild-card spot if the season ended today. The first-place spot is well within reach, but getting past the Orioles won’t be easy.Â
2. NL East
The NL East is home to the top team in baseball: the Atlanta Braves. The club is a whopping 14.5 games ahead of the second-place Phillies and 19.5 games ahead of the third-place Marlins. They are destined to win the division for the sixth year in a row and to make a deep run come October.
3. AL West
With less than a month in the regular season, the AL West is set up for a thrilling race to the finish. Three teams are virtually tied at the division’s top: the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and Houston Astros. When the season draws to a close, one of these teams will make the playoffs and likely secure a first-round bye. The other two will be in danger of missing the postseason entirely.
4. NL West
Unlike the AL West, there’s no contest in the NL West. The Dodgers hold a season-high 13.5-game lead in the division and will cruise into the postseason without any pushback. Elsewhere in the division, the Giants and Diamondbacks are fighting for wild card positioning come October. If the season ended today, both teams would miss the cut but less than two games.
5. NL Central
The Milwaukee Brewers lead the NL Central, as they have since early June. However, the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds are still within striking distance. If they can’t catch up to Milwaukee, it’s also a possibility both the Cubs and the Reds could lock down wild card sports, making for an NL-Central-heavy first round.
6. AL Central
The AL Central consistently sits last in these rankings because of the overall lack of talent in the division. One squad will make the playoffs by default despite being one of the league’s more mediocre (at best) teams. If the season ended today, that would be the Twins. At 73-66, they hold a seven-game lead over second-place Cleveland.
NRFI/YRFI Odds at BetMGM
Betting on NRFI odds and YRFI odds is a great way to add more excitement to the start of baseball games.
If you’re unfamiliar with NRFI/YRFI betting: NRFI means “no runs in the first inning,” while YRFI means “yes runs in the first inning.”
When you bet on NRFI odds, you’re betting on both teams to combine for zero runs in the first inning of that game. Alternatively, when you bet on YRFI odds, you’re betting on both teams to combine for at least one run in the first inning.
You can track NRFI stats and records each day of the season.
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