COMMENTARY
Usually the moment when a team clinches a division title is a literal one, a victory over not just the opponent on the field but math. Take last year, when the Red Sox, behind a home run from Mookie Betts (sounds familiar) and six strong innings from Drew Pomeranz (does not sound familiar) defeated the Houston Astros, 6-3, on Sept. 30 to secure their second straight AL East crown.
No combination of Red Sox losses and wins by the second-place Yankees would allow for them to be surpassed. The division belonged to them. The bottles popped in appropriate acknowledgment of the feat.