in two. The Athletics won the first half and defeated the second-half winner, the Kansas City Royals (50 – 53 overall record) to win the division. § – Due to the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike, starting on August 12, no official winner was declared. The Texas Rangers were leading in winning percentage at time of the strike. * – Seattle defeated the California Angels in a one-game playoff for the division title, 9 – 1. †† – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was shortened to 60 games. By virtue of the eight-team postseason format used for that season, division runner-up Houston (29–31, .483) also qualified for the playoffs. Other postseason teams See List of American League Wild Card winners (since 1994) * – From 2012 to 2019, and in 2021, the Wild Card was expanded to two teams. Those teams faced each other in the Wild Card Game to determine the final participant in the American League Division Series. In 2020 only, eight teams, including the three division winners, played in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, with the winners advancing to the Division Series. Starting in 2022, the Wild Card field was increased to three teams, and along with the lowest-ranked division winner, qualified for the Wild Card Series to determine the remaining two slots in the Division Series. Season results Notes and Tiebreakers Seattle and California were tied for the division championship and played in a tie-breaker game. The Mariners won 9–1 to claim the division crown. Anaheim and Minnesota of the American League Central were tied for the second and third seed, but the Angels claimed the second seed by winning the season series 5–4. Los Angeles and New York Yankees of the American League East were tied for the second and third seed, but the Angels claimed the second seed by winning the season series 6–4. Texas and Tampa Bay of the American League East were tied for the second wild-card berth and played in a tie-breaker game. The Rangers lost 5–2 and were eliminated from postseason contention. AL West statistics See also American League East American League Central National League East National League Central National League West References External links MLB final standings by year 1969 establishments in the United States Major League Baseball divisions Sports in the Western United States