More than any other sport, baseball’s season feels like a marathon. Across six months and 162 games, teams ultimately prove themselves with a steady pace, with endurance, with consistency. But with the finish line in sight — the regular season comes to a close Oct. 1 — the undecided pennant races shift into all-out sprints.
There are three major contests for playoff positioning that could approximate a 100-meter dash over the next few weeks, and the starting gun sounds this weekend.
The AL East
The runners: Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays
The prize: No.