MLB Playoff Standings 2015: Pittsburgh Pirates Hot, Los Angeles Angels Not

MLB playoff standings for 2015 continue to look good for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The MLB Playoffs are becoming more routine for this Pirates roster, with the team currently hosting the third-best record in all of baseball. On Friday (August 28), the Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies to improve to 78-49 on the year. It was the eighth win in 10 games for the team, but still only good enough for second place in the National League Central.

The Central is still owned by the first place St. Louis Cardinals, who are now 82-46 on the season, holding a 3 1/2 games lead over the Pirates. The Pirates have a strong hold on the first wild card slot, with the third place Chicago Cubs (73-54) holding on to the second one. The San Francisco Giants are the only other team within striking distance, trailing the Cubs by 4 1/2 games in the wild card race. Time is running out for the Giants to move up the MLB playoff standings.

First place in the NL West standings belongs to the Los Angeles Dodgers (71-56), as the team holds a 2 1/2 games lead over the Giants (69-59). This could make for some very exciting head-to-head games down the stretch to decide the division. Over in the NL East, the New York Mets are now 6 1/2 games ahead of the Washington Nationals for the final NL playoff spot. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Nationals just lost outfielder Denard Span for the rest of the year, damaging a shot to catch up to the Mets.

The Kansas City Royals are running away with the American League, holding a 79-49 record that is seven games better than the AL East leading Toronto Blue Jays (72-56). The Royals are also 13 games ahead of the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central, putting the team on pace to become the first to clinch a spot in the 2015 MLB Playoffs. The 71-58 Houston Astros lead the AL West and the 70-57 New York Yankees hold the first wild card spot.

It’s the second wild card spot in the American League that is going to get exciting. The 66-61 Texas Rangers hold it, but are only slightly ahead of the 66-62 Twins, 65-63 Angels, and 63-65 Baltimore Orioles. In regard to the overall 2015 MLB playoff standings, that might become the most exciting finish in the postseason race. With so many teams left in contention, it should also help with game attendance numbers down the stretch, especially in the AL East.

[Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images]