- The Orioles sold at the deadline and are under .500 — yet they'd be in the playoffs today, a weird sign of how muddled the AL race has become.
- The AL is crowded and chaotic (five teams within two games of the final spot); the NL is cleaner, with a handful of winning teams (Arizona, Miami, St. Louis) chasing San Diego’s wild-card slot.
- Players to watch down the stretch: Julio Rodríguez and Pete Alonso heating up, rookies like Bryce Eldridge and Joshua Báez making noise — while Paul Skenes’ recent struggles could seriously affect Pittsburgh.
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