Every 1998 MLB race charted day by day: AL East, AL Central, AL West, AL Wild Card, NL East, NL Central, NL West and NL Wild Card. Final standings, from a season that ran March 31 to September 28, 1998.
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AL East standings, 1998
Team
W
L
Pct
GB
L10
Streak
New York Yankees (NYY)
114
48
.704
-
8-2
W7
Boston Red Sox (BOS)
92
70
.568
22
6-4
W1
Toronto Blue Jays (TOR)
88
74
.543
26
6-4
W2
Baltimore Orioles (BAL)
79
83
.488
35
2-8
L1
Tampa Bay Devil Rays (TB)
63
99
.389
51
2-8
L6
Final standings.
Turning points
The lead changed hands 5 times.
The New York Yankees trailed by as many as 3.5 games on April 6, 1998.
The New York Yankees took first place for good on April 21, 1998.
The Toronto Blue Jays won 11 games in a row from August 27, 1998 to September 7, 1998, the longest run of the race.
The Baltimore Orioles led by 2.5 games as late as April 14, 1998.
The New York Yankees went 31-7 from April 14, 1998 to May 29, 1998, turning a deficit of 3 games into a lead of 9.5 games.
Four teams held first place.
The New York Yankees spent 163 of the season's 182 charted days in first place.