The climate is heating up and the baseball season is in full swing. As we enter June, it’s time to take an excellent take a look at the standings. There’s nonetheless loads of baseball left, however traits that started in April have solidified additional in Might. Nearly a 3rd of the way in which into the season, it’s time to start out desirous about whether or not our present division leaders are for actual.
Let’s check out these leaders and what the postseason discipline may appear like come October. Word, all stats under exclude the shortened 2020 season and as an alternative take a look at full seasons for the impression and postseason implications.
What it means to be in first placeSince 1996 — the primary full season with at the least one Wild Card in every league after the ‘95 marketing campaign was restricted to 144 video games because of the strike that started in 1994 — 100 of 168 eventual division champions held at the least a share of their division lead getting into June 1. That’s 60 % of division winners.
Pay particular consideration, Yankees, Tigers, Mariners, Phillies, Mets, Cubs and Dodgers followers — these groups are our present division leaders heading into June, with the NL East tied up prime.
Final season, 5 of the six division leaders on June 1 went on to win their divisions. Within the American League, the Yankees and Guardians each gained their divisions, whereas the Mariners, who led the AL West getting into June, missed the postseason. Within the NL, the Phillies, Brewers and Dodgers every led getting into June and went on to win their divisions.
In case you had been questioning, there’s been only one season on this span the place all six division champions held at the least a share of their division lead getting into June 1: 1998.
Since 1996, 16 of the 28 World Sequence winners, excluding 2020, led their divisions getting into June. The Dodgers did so final 12 months.
These defending champion Dodgers are in first place getting into June. That’s rarer than you would possibly assume. Of the 28 groups to win the World Sequence since 1996 and play in Might the following 12 months, simply seven have discovered themselves in first place via Might that subsequent 12 months, together with these Dodgers. The 2018 Astros had been the final to do it earlier than this 12 months.
This 12 months’s leaders overallOf this 12 months’s present division leaders getting into June, every has had at the least a share of that lead getting into June at the least one different time since 2021, besides one. The Tigers are on this spot for the primary time since 2014.
The Yankees, Phillies and Dodgers gained their divisions final 12 months. The Cubs final did so in 2017, the Mets in 2015, Tigers in 2014 and Mariners in 2001.
What’s nextEven two months in, there’s nonetheless loads of baseball left to be performed. However followers of the seven division leaders, with that NL East tie, can take some consolation in understanding that traditionally, greater than half of these groups have gone on to win their divisions. And whereas 60% of groups with a share of the division lead getting into June win that division, loads don’t. Solely time will inform. That’s why they play the sport – and, fortunately, we get to comply with alongside.
