Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs pointed out that, for the first time since 2003, the National League will best the American League interleague play this year. As of his writing on Monday, the NL had won 151 games and there are 300 interleague games scheduled per season, so win No. 151 clinched the better record.
The AL’s dominance over the NL has been well-known through the very unscientific use of All-Star game results. Presently, the AL has won each of the last six Midsummer Classics and had a 12-game winning streak from 1997-2009, excluding the 2002 tie. The NL will look to put that ignominious streak to an end next year when the All-Star Game and related festivities are held at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Due to teams committing to rebuilding or just outright tanking, the AL is more lopsided record-wise than the NL this season. The AL has the 103-win Red Sox and the 95-win Astros who will also likely cross into triple-digit wins. But the AL also has the 106-loss Orioles and 99-loss Royals, who went a combined 11-26 in interleague play. Entering Wednesday, 10 of 15 NL teams were at .500 or above and only the Marlins and Padres crossed the 90-loss threshold (92 each).
