With small markets and small payrolls, the AL and NL Centrals are lagging again

Published June 29, 2023 6:49 am

By STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer

The AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians have been below .500 since late April. The Cincinnati Reds top the NL Central standings while on an 86-win pace. Welcome to life in baseball’s two weakest divisions. Cleveland overtook the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central standings on Wednesday while owning a 39-40 record, but they’d be last in the AL East. This is the first time in 15 years an entire division has been below .500 this late in a season. A scheduling change reducing the number of times division opponents can beat up on one another has widened the gap separating the Central divisions from their East and West counterparts.

Article Topic Follows: AP National Sports

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