There is something real afoot in the American League East, something genuine. You might actually call it a pennant race. There are three teams plainly good enough to finish in first place. There are two other teams that, barring an odd reversal of fortune, will almost certainly partake in the postseason. 

They are, with more than two-thirds of the season in the books, the three best teams in the American League, with all due respect to the White Sox and Astros, who entered play Wednesday as first-place teams. We are, beginning this weekend, entering the seven-week homestretch of the season, seven weeks for things to sort themselves out. 

Win. Place. And Show. 

Now, you may wish to stop me here and spray a little settle-down spritz on this. You may declare that there has been no real pennant race since 1968 — the last time only league champions made the postseason — or 1993, the last time only first-place finishers were included. That’s fine. You can say that.