MLB Teams | Know this before starting to bet in PA

Local Pennsylvania Teams

You can find two Pennsylvania-based MLB teams on either side of the Keystone State. We have the Philadelphia Phillies in the East, playing in the National League East Division (NL East), and the Pittsburgh Pirates in the West of PA, playing in the National League Central Division (NL Central).

Like most other states, several other baseball teams play in local and state-wide leagues. Some of the standout teams include:

• Erie SeaWolves – Eastern League
• Lancaster Barnstormers – Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
• York Revolution – Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
• Washington Wild Things – Frontier League

The Phillies and Pirates run the show in PA, with both teams enjoying over 100 years of history. Both teams were founded in the 1880s, which backs up the fact that we have such a deep-rooted love of baseball in Pennsylvania.

How Many MLB Teams Are There Playing?

The MLB holds one of the busiest seasons in any sport worldwide. A popular question we get is, how many MLB teams are there? The answer is 30 MLB teams. Each team plays 162 games, creating 2,430 games during the regular season. The playoffs bring even more games and more betting opportunities.

All MLB Teams List and League / Division Structure

To help follow all the action, all these MLB teams are split into two leagues with three divisions each. The American League and the National League include the East, Central, and West Divisions. See below for the “all MLB teams list” and the league and division they play in.

MLB Playoffs – How many teams make the MLB playoffs?

The MLB playoffs have taken on a few changes over the years, but the general concept has stayed the same, which is the Division Series leads to the League Championship Series, which then ends with the final World Series to determine the MLB Champion.

So, the common question is this; how many teams make the MLB playoffs? Currently, 12 teams (6 from each league) will compete in the bracket-style playoffs, up from the previous total of 10. This includes each league’s top three winners from the three divisions, with three extra clubs earning spots as a Wild Card.

MLB Playoff Structure 

To determine the MLB playoff fixtures, each league uses the following seeding format:

1. Top League Record
2. 2nd-Best Division Winner
3. 3rd-Best Division Winner
4. Top Wild Card Record
5. 2nd-Best Wild Card Record
6. 3rd-Best Wild Card Record

MLB Teams Wildcards & Byes 

Within each league, the top two teams are given a bye into the Division Series. The third-seeded team will play the sixth-seeded team in the Wild Card Series, and the same for the fourth- and fifth-seeded teams. 

MLB History and Team Performance

Any baseball fan will know that MLB history and statistics are important, and they are easy to come by for all MLB teams. This makes betting on the MLB such an entertaining and often profitable pastime. History, betting trends, the latest team news, and understanding team performance are all key aspects of creating a successful betting strategy. We’ll look at the local teams and then further afield at the top MLB teams playing right now.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies have been in the game since 1883, clocking up two World Series in the process in 1980 and 2008. Despite the famous players and past awards, recent years have not been so kind to the Phillies. They have not reached the postseason since 2011 – the longest current run of any team without seeing any playoff action. The fans at Citizens Bank Park hope to see some improvements over the coming seasons.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates is another team with a deep history spanning back to 1882. The “Bucs” have been crowned World Series Champions five times so far, 1909, 1925, 1960, 1971, and 1979. Postseason action has also been sparse, with the last brief outing in 2015. Like the Phillies, they struggle to put a solid season together to reach and go deep into the playoffs.

The Best MLB Teams and Past Performance

The MLB committee post the latest power rankings during the preseason and postseason. Many teams continue to find themselves listed due to their ongoing success, with our experts sharing the same outlook on the top MLB teams. We have included those who continue to get mentioned in recent years:

• LA Dodgers
• Houston Astros
• New York Yankees
• Atlanta Braves
• New York Mets

Some teams put in solid performances in recent seasons and are ones to watch thanks to impressive winning streaks, while the likes of the Dodgers and Yankees are always a threat. You rarely see teams bouncing from one poor season to a World Series-winning season the next. So tracking past performances is a smart move when betting on MLB teams at the available betting sites.

MLB All-Star Teams

In what is commonly referred to as the “Midsummer Classic” or “Midsummer Night Classic,” players from the National League and the American League square off against one another every year.

It is typical for the MLB All-Star Game to take place somewhere in the first part of July, and this date is widely recognized as the unofficial midpoint of the regular season.

Fans, players, and the commissioner’s office all get to cast their votes on who gets selected. Several players attending the MLB All Star games has later been included in the Hall of Fame.

MLB Worst Teams

The BetPhilly team has brought you the data on the top MLB teams, but it’s also wise to know which teams are consistently underperforming.

It’s not something any team wants to be labeled with, but a successful betting strategy should involve knowing the current capability of every team. Below are five MLB teams currently struggling in recent times (in no particular order):

• Detroit Tigers
• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Kansas City Royals
• Colorado Rockies
• Baltimore Orioles

Notable Team Rivalries in the MLB

Sports thrive on rivalries, and Major League Baseball has no shortage of clubs or fans eager to settle scores. Since MLB’s inception in 1869, several clubs have been looking forward to their next showdown for almost a century.

These rivalries can bring out the best and worst in players and fans, and many betting markets can be affected when emotions get the better of teams.

Yankees vs. Red Sox

Yankees vs. Red Sox has to go down as one of the greatest rivalries in sports, let alone the biggest in MLB. The fact that these two teams are among the most successful in the American League and have met in some of the most dramatic postseason games helps the storyline. 

On-field brawls between players and vitriol thrown by fans have helped to fuel other rivalries between New York and Boston teams. As it stands, the rivalry between the Yankees and the Red Sox remains unparalleled in MLB.

Dodgers vs. Giants

Another big rivalry between MLB teams includes the age-old matchup between the Dodgers and the Giants. These two are well-known baseball teams in California. However, the animosity between the two teams extends back to the late 19th century when both played in New York. 

During that era, the Dodgers were based in Brooklyn, while the Giants played their home games in Upper Manhattan. To maintain their rivalry, they relocated to California at the same time in 1957, and the passion between players and fans has always been one for the neutrals to enjoy.

How many MLB teams are there with intense rivalries? Quite a lot! These feuds continue to brew across leagues and divisions, so here we have a few more for you to watch.

• St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs
• Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets
• New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians
• Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers
• Chicago White Sox vs. Minnesota Twins

Notable MLB Players in Pennsylvania 

Pennsylvania has witnessed some true greats of the game, and we’ve picked out some of the historical players below, but one player currently playing deserves mention. Neil Walker, the second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates, is one of the most underrated players in the game.

Since making his debut in the major leagues in 2009, Walker has given the Pirates a solid bat and decent defense at second base, transforming into a key player for the team.

Honus Wagner, Hans Wagner, and The Flying Dutchman are among many nicknames that were bestowed upon Johannes Peter Wagner, who resided from Chartiers Township.

Playing between 1897 and 1917, mostly for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wagner is widely regarded as the greatest National League player and one of baseball’s all-time greats.

Reggie Jackson, whose full name was Reginald Martinez Jackson, was an American professional baseball player born in Wyncote, Pennsylvania.

Playing for teams such as the Yankees and Angels and a career spanning from 1967 through to 1987, his remarkable performance in games played during the World Series gave him the moniker “Mr. October.”