Tough start for AL's big playoff teams from 2015

If the season ended now, the American League playoffs would look a lot different from last year.

Only one team from the 2015 AL postseason is in position to return based on the current standings, and that's the Texas Rangers. The other four playoff teams - Kansas City, Toronto, Houston, and the New York Yankees - are all at or below .500. The Astros and Yankees are in particularly rough shape, in last place in their divisions.

Houston beat the Yankees in the wild-card game last year and looked like a young team poised for a long run in contention, but the Astros (12-20) have endured some ugly numbers from their starting rotation so far. Dallas Keuchel, last year's Cy Young Award winner, is 2-4 with a 4.70 ERA. Collin McHugh and Mike Fiers have ERAs over 5.00.

The Yankees (11-18) have dealt with similar problems, although their rotation has been better of late. New York took two of three from Boston and will continue its homestand this coming week against the Royals and Chicago White Sox.

''I think we're going in the right direction. We've dug ourselves a hole,'' infielder Chase Headley said. ''You can't take back what's already happened, you've just got to look forward.''

The Yankees and Astros are both 6 1/2 games out of first place, and there's a long way to go. Meanwhile, Toronto (16-17) and Kansas City (15-15) are plodding along after playing each other in the AL Championship Series last season.

"We're going to turn things around, this team is too good not to," Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada said after Sunday's loss. "We faced really tough pitching over there, and that's what happened. They showed what they can do, pitching-wise, and they did a really good job, so you just tip your hat to that and move on to the next one."