![]() ![]() The Yankees–Red Sox rivalry is one of the oldest, most famous and fiercest rivalries in American sports. American League American League East Boston Red Sox vs. Beginning in 2023, intradivisional games were reduced to 13 while teams get three interleague games against each non-natural opponent and four against a natural rival. The number of interleague games against natural rivals was reduced from six to four. ![]() The move of the Astros led to interleague play throughout the season. Teams play a total of 76 intra-divisional games, playing teams within the division 19 times each, and six or seven games against other teams in their leagues and 20 interleague games. With the Astros moving to the American League West in 2013, MLB changed its scheduling formula as a result of each division having five teams. The scheduling drew criticism both when it was enacted and after the fact, with some analysts even positing that the unbalanced schedule hurt intra-divisional play. Due to the change, division rivals now played each other 17 or more times each season. ![]() The new "unbalanced schedule" allowed for additional games in each season between divisional rivals, replacing additional series with teams outside the division. MLB changed its scheduling format in 2001, further intensifying division matchups throughout the league. The schedule for interleague play comprised 84 three-game series, namely six series (18 games) for each of fourteen AL teams and as many as six for each of 16 NL teams. In 1997, with the MLB adopting interleague play, the schedules were changed. In 1994, MLB split each league into three divisions, but kept the 1993 format in scheduling. The National League did not institute this until 1993, when the Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies entered play. However, they still played each team in the other division 12 times, but the total number of inter-divisional games increased to 84. However, in 1977, the addition of the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays reduced the number of intra-divisional games American League teams played to 78, as each team would play each team within the division 13 times. Teams played a total of 90 intra-divisional games, playing teams within the division 18 times each and 72 inter-divisional games, playing each team in the other division 12 times. In 1969, with the San Diego Padres, Seattle Pilots, Kansas City Royals, and Montreal Expos entering play as expansion teams, MLB split both leagues into two divisions with six teams each. 45s (now the Houston Astros) entered play. The National League did not implement this until the following year when the New York Mets and Houston Colt. With the second American League incarnation of the Washington Senators (now the Texas Rangers) and the Los Angeles Angels entering play as expansion teams in 1961, MLB increased the total number of games American League teams played to 162, which meant teams would play each other 18 times a season. In the "Original 16" era (1901–60), there were eight teams in each league and teams in each league played each other 22 times a season. Further information: Major League Baseball schedule ![]()
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