The American League West, for a time, appeared to be a two-team race between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros.
Texas has been in front for most of the season.
However, the Seattle Mariners have busted out and joined the fun.
By virtue of winning percentage, they now lead the AL West over the defending champions, though in terms of games back, they are tied.
Texas has fallen on hard times, and they now sit a game back of first.
However, this MLB division has turned into a heavyweight fight between three elite ballclubs.
On Twitter, Sarah Langs of MLB.com posted a screenshot of the AL West standings.
the top 3 teams in the AL West are all separated by a game or fewer (all off tmr!)
this is the 3rd time since divisions began in 1969 that 3 teams in the same division were within a game or fewer of the lead entering Sept, joining the 1980 NLE and 1969 NLW pic.twitter.com/nQQR9GZASw
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 31, 2023
This should be a very interesting and fun division to keep track of down the stretch.
Usually by now, one team has established themselves as the best in the division.
However, things are not so clear in the AL West.
There are three teams who are all within at most a game of each other, with two of them tied at the top of the pack.
And though Texas has struggled of late, they still have a chance to take control of first place in the division before this race is all said and done.
Langs notes that this is just the third time since divisions were created that three teams within one division entered September within a game or less of each other, joining the 1980 NL East and 1969 NL West.
It should be a fun battle between these three squads as we approach October.
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