A month to go.

Baseball's long season is entering the final month and no fewer than eighteen teams still are holding legitimate playoff hopes.

It's exactly what Major League Baseball was hoping for when they added a second wild-card team a few years ago.

Here's where the teams stand as of today:

AL EAST--The hard-charging Toronto Blue Jays have taken over first place and now lead the Red Sox by two games and the Orioles by four.  The good news for Boston and Baltimore is they are the two leaders in the wild card race.

AL CENTRAL--The Indians still lead the division by 4.5 games over Detroit and 5.5 over the defending champion Kansas City Royals, who are playing as well as anyone in baseball not named the Cubs.  Both the Tigers and Royals are very much in the wild-card picture.

AL WEST--The Rangers are making a laugher out of this division.  Texas has the best record in the league and lead the improving Astros by 8.5 games.  Seattle is still alive in the wild card race.

SPEAKING OF THE WILD CARD:  The Red Sox and Orioles lead, but Detroit is just one game behind.  Kansas City and Houston are two behind.  Seattle is three back and the Yankees, despite being in fourth place in the division, are just 3.5 games out of a playoff spot.

NL EAST--The Nationals are comfortable, leading the Mets and Marlins by nine games.  Both teams are in the wild-card hunt.

NL CENTRAL--The Cubs are 83-47 and easily have the best record in baseball.  St. Louis is a whopping 14 games out and Pittsburgh is 15.5 back.

NL WEST--Despite not having Clayton Kershaw since June, the Dodgers have moved into first place, leading San Francisco by 1.5 games.

WILD-CARD:  The Giants and Cardinals have the next two best records.  But they have company.  The Pirates are 1.5 games back and the Mets and Marlins are just a game behind Pittsburgh.

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