MLB Division Races at the Midway Point

By - Tim Swift

With well over 1,200 games in the books and the All-Star break rapidly approaching, Major League Baseball's divisional races are really beginning to take shape.

Here's a division summary for the first half of the season, and a look at the teams that have the best chance of clinching a postseason berth.

AL East:

Photo by: Rob Carr

The Red Sox, who were picked by many to finish in the back half of the division, have maintained a small lead throughout the first half of the season. Boston leads the American League in both runs and run differential. The Orioles, led by Chris Davis, have bombed their way to second place, leading the majors in home runs. The Rays have gotten off to a slow start, but with the return of former Cy Young winner David Price, Tampa could still be a player in the second half of the year. Over the last month, injuries have caught up to the Yankees, as they have slipped back to fourth place. If the offenses of the Sox and Orioles continue at this pace, they should remain at the top of the division the remainder of the way.

AL Central:

To be honest, this division shouldn't be close. The Tigers are far and away the most talented club in the bunch, with the best position player on the planet in Miguel Cabrera. The Indians are in the top 5 in runs, balancing out the fact they're 27th in ERA. Even the young Kansas City Royals remain in the race with solid pitching and defense. Still, with Detroit's lineup depth and starting pitching, they should be able to take over this race in the second half of the season.

AL West:

Despite a recent surge by the underachieving Angels, this is a two-team race between the Rangers and A's. After a slow start, Oakland has turned it on of late, mostly with their offense, which ranks 6th in the majors in runs. Texas has the bigger names throughout their lineup, and have held up very well. Yu Darvish and Derek Holland have led the top of the pitching rotation, combining for 15 wins. Similar to last year, this division could come down to the last few days of the season, with neither team having an obvious edge.

NL East:

Currently, there is no real race to speak of, as the Braves have pretty much controlled this division from day one with brilliant pitching. Atlanta is 2nd in the majors in ERA and quality starts. They have depth throughout their staff and have a shut down closer in Craig Kimbrel. Also, even though the Braves are only hitting .245 as a team, they have blasted 103 homers, which is 3rd-best in all of baseball. Unless the Nationals have a big time run in them, the second half looks to be more of the same; Atlanta dominating.

NL Central:

Photo by: David Hague

The most competitive division in the majors this year highlights the surprising Pirates, the steady Cardinals and the gritty Reds. Pittsburgh has done it with pitching, giving up the least amount of runs in baseball, while also leading in ERA, saves, shutouts and opponent batting average. St. Louis has been on the offensive this season, currently 3rd in the league in runs. The Redbirds are also tops in run differential at +112. At 10 games over .500, Cincinnati is staying in the race mainly with pitching, ranking 4th in team ERA. Only 4 games are separating these clubs, so they all still have a great shot at winning the division.

NL West:

A mediocre group indeed, with the entire division separated by only 4 games. The Diamondbacks have led the way over the past few weeks, but they haven't been able to distance themselves from the pack. Offensively, the Rockies are the class of the division, currently 6th in the majors in total runs scored. The D-Backs, Giants and Padres have been average at best with the stick, while the Dodgers are next to last in runs, even with the recent emergence of Yasiel Puig. Pitching will be key in the second half, as none of these teams are currently in the top 10 in ERA. The starting rotation has failed San Francisco in the first half, but their championship pedigree will make them dangerous over the final months of the season.