The Mets, owners of a 44-51 record, .463 winning percentage are technically the third worst team in the National League. The Marlins have a .376 percentage and the Reds who have one and lost one more game then the Mets, have a .462 percentage (essentially a tie).
Yet the Mets and the Reds are both only 5 games out of the Wild Card spot. There are a lot of games, and teams, in front of both teams but it feels like they have a shot.
The White Sox are the closest team to the Mets record wise in the American league at 42-50 have a .457 percentage and are 11 games out of the Wild Card. That seems right for that type of record. So what’s going on?
It looks like the problem is with the American League, and their lack of parity (or large amount of teams tanking) are buoying the National League. The Marlins are the only team in the National League below a .400 winning percentage but in the American League, 5 teams are at that mark. Not a single team in the National league has a run differential that has crossed -100 yet. But in the American League:
- White Sox -103
- Mariners -109
- Tigers -176
- Orioles -187
On the other end, the American League has 3 teams above .600 and 6 teams above .570. In the National League has only 1 team above .600 and two total above .570.
This matters when you start to look at Inter League Play. The following teams are at least 3 games below .500 in Inter League:
- Twins (3-6)
- Reds (6-9)
- Brewers (3-7)
- Orioles (3-7)
- Mariners (3-7)
- Blue Jays (2-11)
- Tigers (5-13)
There are only two National League teams on that list! One of them is essentially tied with the Mets for the worst record in the National League and the other actually has a wild card spot right now! In total only 5 National League teams are below .500 in Inter league while 10 teams are below .500 on the American League side. The NL is stealing wins, constricting the Wild Card race. If we go back to that list above, the Tigers, Blue Jays, Mariners and Orioles are all in the bottom of the American League (the other sub .400 team is the Royals, 3-5 in Inter League), their collective tanking is adding to the turmoil in the National League.
