MLB Sports News

Nobody has more victories this season than the Boston Red Sox, who are almost completely assured of winning the American League East division race.

With their 99th win – a 7-2 decision over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night – the Red Sox also secured no worse than a wild-card playoff slot and became the first team to clinch a postseason berth.

The Red Sox have their share of stars (OK, more than their share), but they get contributions from plenty of other players. The hero Tuesday night was Brock Holt, who pinch-hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to erase the Jays’ 2-0 lead and put the Sox on the path to the win.

Don’t worry about them having to survive the wild-card game. They’re 8 ½ games ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East with 17 left to play. They’re not about to fall into some monumental abyss.

The Red Sox’ 99 wins top the AL, with the Houston Astros next at 91 and the Yankees at 90. By contrast, no team in the National League has won more than 83 (the Chicago Cubs). The Oakland Athletics, who trail the Astros by three games in the AL West, are 88-57, which would give them an eight-game lead in the National League East.

The way the AL numbers stack up is probably indicative of how good these teams actually are. Expect Boston and Houston to be playing for the AL pennant, while the oft-erratic Yankees again qualify as a wild card, along with the A’s.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman