Last Night in Williamsport

Looking back while we look ahead

The Yankees and Tigers played in MLB’s seventh annual Little League Classic last night in Williamsport, PA. After Detroit’s come-from-behind-win in extra innings, the top six teams in all of baseball are as bunched up as I’ve ever seen this late in the season.

Look at that!

Since the first of August, the Guardians, Orioles, Phillies, and Yankees have each spent at least one day as the top team in baseball. The Dodgers, no slouches themselves, were tied for the honor one day this month. Milwaukee is the only team above not to boast the best record at any point yet in 2024. The Brew Crew, though, is riding a five-game winning streak after sweeping the weekend series from the Guardians.

It would be great for the game if races for home-field advantage and first-round byes came down to the final days of the regular season.

The excitement at the top is caused, at least in part, by the fact that we’re on pace to have no team win 100 games for the first time since 2014. Even the best teams have s…