With the non-waiver trade deadline roughly six weeks away, every American League team incredibly is within 5.5 games of a playoff berth. Therefore, all 15 teams can call themselves contenders.
But just because the playoffs are still in reach doesn’t mean they are realistically attainable. Several AL teams should be selling or standing pat — not buying.
The landscape will change plenty in the coming weeks, but here is what each AL contender needs most in late June:
That Houston covets another ace-type starter has been among the worst-kept secrets in the sport since the offseason.