The 2014 Major League Baseball season began on March 22 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Australia, between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The North American part of the season started on March 30 and ended on September 28.

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game's 85th edition was held on July 14 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, home of the Minnesota Twins. The American League (AL) beat the National League (NL) 5–3. With the win, the AL champion earned home-field advantage during the World Series.

This year the Houston Astros hosted the Civil Rights Game on May 30 at Minute Maid Park. They played host to the Baltimore Orioles.

This was also the final season of Bud Selig as the Commissioner of Baseball. Selig served as the Executive Council Chairman from 1992 to 1998, acting as the commissioner, and then was appointed as the official commissioner in 1998. On August 14, 2014, the franchise owners selected Rob Manfred to become the new Commissioner, starting in 2015.

Standings

American League

National League

Postseason

Bracket

Schedule

No significant changes were made to the 2014 schedule. As was the case in 2013, each team played 19 games against each division opponent for a total of 76 games, and six or seven games against each team from the other two divisions in its league for a total of 66 games. All teams played 20 interleague games, with the majority of match-ups following the divisional rotation in place since 2004. For 2014, the matchups were AL East vs. NL Central, AL Central vs. NL West, and AL West vs. NL East. Teams played four games against a designated "rival" in two back-to-back two-game series, one home and one away. Unlike in 2013, when all of these series were played during the same week, these rivalry series were spread from early May through mid-August. The table below shows the interleague rivals for the 2014 season.

AL East NL East AL Central NL Central AL West NL West Red Sox Braves White Sox Cubs Mariners Padres Yankees Mets Indians Reds Angels Dodgers Blue Jays Phillies Tigers Pirates Athletics Giants Rays Marlins Twins Brewers Rangers Rockies Orioles Nationals Royals Cardinals Astros Diamondbacks

Rule changes On August 15, 2013, Major League Baseball announced that it would expand its video review process for the 2014 season, and MLB clubs unanimously approved the new rules on January 16, 2014. Managers were now able to challenge certain plays no more than twice per game, including force plays, fair or foul balls, and batters hit by a pitch, among others. If a manager exhausted his ability to challenge plays during the game and after the beginning of the seventh inning, the umpire crew chief could choose to invoke instant replay on any reviewable call. Calls that were challenged were reviewed by an umpiring crew at MLB headquarters in New York City, which made the final ruling.

On December 11, 2013, the Playing Rules Committee voted overwhelmingly to outlaw home-plate collisions between runners and catchers. On February 24, 2014, the new rule was put into effect as Rule 7.13 was released.

Managerial changes

General managers

In-season TeamFormer GMNew GMReason for leavingFormer jobAtlanta BravesFrank WrenJohn Hart (interim)FiredHart was a former Indians and Rangers general manager and was the current Braves senior advisor.

Field managers

In-season TeamFormer managerInterim managerReason for leavingStory/AccomplishmentsHouston AstrosBo PorterTom LawlessFired Porter was fired on September 1 along with bench coach Dave Trembley. Lawless was named the interim manager. Porter finished with a 110–190 in under two seasons.Texas RangersRon WashingtonTim BogarResigned Washington resigned on September 5 for personal reasons after eight seasons with the Rangers. He finished with a 664–611 record and is the franchise's all-time leader in regular season wins and games managed. Washington led the Rangers to four straight 90-win seasons, three playoff appearances, and back-to-back American League championships in 2010 and 2011. Bogar, who is the current bench coach, was named the interim manager for the rest of the 2014 season.Arizona DiamondbacksKirk GibsonAlan TrammellFired Gibson was fired on September 26 after four years as manager of the Diamondbacks. He finished with a 353–375 record and led the Diamondbacks to the division title during the 2011 season while capturing the National League Manager of the Year award. Trammell, who previously was the bench coach, will take over as manager for the final three games of the season.

Off-season At the end of the 2013 season, the following teams made replacements to their managers. TeamFormer managerNew managerReason for leavingStory/AccomplishmentsSeattle MarinersEric WedgeLloyd McClendonResignedWedge declined to return on September 27, 2013, as he missed part of the season with a partial stroke. He finished with a 213–273 record in three seasons. McClendon was announced as the new manager on November 5, 2013. McClendon previously managed the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2001 to 2005 and compiled a 336–446 record.Chicago CubsDale SveumRick RenteriaFiredSveum was fired by the Cubs after two seasons and a record of 127–197. Rentería was named manager on November 7, 2013, after being the bench coach for the San Diego Padres the last two seasons.Washington NationalsDavey JohnsonMatt WilliamsRetiredJohnson announced on November 12, 2012, that the 2013 season would be his last. He finished with a record of 224–183 in his three seasons. Matt Williams was announced on October 31, 2013, as the new manager.Cincinnati RedsDusty BakerBryan PriceFiredBaker was fired by the Reds after six seasons and a record of 509–463. Price served as the Reds pitching coach for four seasons.Detroit TigersJim LeylandBrad AusmusResigned and RetiredLeyland resigned on October 21, 2013, and then retired the next day with a record of 700–597 (.540) with three division titles (2011–13), one AL wild card (2006) and two AL pennants (2006 and 2012). Ausmus was announced as the next manager on November 3, 2013.

League leaders American League

+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Jose Altuve (HOU) .341 OPS Víctor Martínez (DET) .974 HR Nelson Cruz (BAL) 40 RBI Mike Trout (LAA) 111 R Mike Trout (LAA) 115 H Jose Altuve (HOU) 225 SB Jose Altuve (HOU) 56

+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Corey Kluber (CLE)Max Scherzer (DET)Jered Weaver (LAA) 18 L Colby Lewis (TEX) 14 ERA Félix Hernández (SEA) 2.14 K David Price (DET/) 271 IP David Price (DET/) 248.1 SV Fernando Rodney (SEA) 48 WHIP Félix Hernández (SEA) 0.915

National League

+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Justin Morneau (COL) .319 OPS Andrew McCutchen (PIT) .952 HR Giancarlo Stanton (MIA) 37 RBI Adrián González (LAD) 119 R Anthony Rendon (WSH) 111 H Ben Revere (PHI)Denard Span (WSH) 184 SB Dee Gordon (LAD) 64

+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Clayton Kershaw (LAD) 21 L A. J. Burnett (PHI) 18 ERA Clayton Kershaw (LAD) 1.77 K Johnny Cueto (CIN)Stephen Strasburg (WSH) 242 IP Johnny Cueto (CIN) 243.2 SV Craig Kimbrel (ATL) 47 WHIP Clayton Kershaw (LAD) 0.857

Milestones

Batters Evan Longoria (TAM): His home run in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 3 gives him 163 for his Rays' career. This ties the team record held by Carlos Peña. Longoria set the franchise record with his 164th home run on April 19 against the New York Yankees. Miguel Cabrera (DET): Recorded his 2,000th career hit with a home run in the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles on April 4. He became the 277th player to reach this mark. Albert Pujols (LAA): Recorded his 1,500th career RBI with a home run in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox on April 8. He became the 52nd player to reach this mark. Recorded his 500th career home run in the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals on April 22. He became the 26th player to reach this mark. Recorded his 550th career double in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 4. He became the 26th player to reach this mark. Recorded his 1,500th career run scored with a home run in the third inning on September 6 against the Minnesota Twins. He became the 71st player to reach this mark. Recorded his 2,500th career hit with a double in the ninth inning on September 6 against the Minnesota Twins. He became the 98th player to reach this mark. Raúl Ibañez (KC)/: Recorded his 2,000th career hit with a home run in the ninth inning against the New York Mets on April 12. He became the 278th player to reach this mark. Elvis Andrus (TEX): Set team record for stolen bases in career on April 18. Setting the record with his 173 stolen base, breaking the record which was set by Ian Kinsler. José Abreu (CWS): Set the rookie record for home runs in April by hitting his ninth on April 25 against the Tampa Bay Rays. He broke the record of eight set by Albert Pujols, Carlos Delgado and Kent Hrbek. Abreu finished April with ten home runs. Set the rookie record for RBI in April by raising his total to 31 on April 27 against the Tampa Bay Rays. He broke the record of 27 set by Albert Pujols. Abreu finished April with 32 runs batted in. Tied the franchise rookie record for home runs with his 35th homer in the ninth inning on September 14 against the Minnesota Twins. He tied the record that was set in 1983 by Ron Kittle. He set a new record with his 36th home run on September 27 against the Kansas City Royals. Adrián Beltré (TEX): Recorded his 500th career double in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners on April 27. He became the 59th player to reach this mark. Recorded his 2,500th career hit with a single in the second inning on June 24 against the Detroit Tigers. He became the 97th player to reach this mark. Nolan Arenado (COL): With a double in the first inning on May 7 against the Texas Rangers, Arenado extended his hit streak to 27 games which tied the team record set by Michael Cuddyer in 2013. Arenado set the team record with a single in the third inning the next night against the Rangers. Arenado's streak came to an end the very next night as the Cincinnati Reds held him hitless. Alfonso Soriano (NYY): With his single in the second inning on May 12 against the New York Mets, Soriano became the seventh player in Major League history to amass 1,000 hits in both the American and National Leagues. He joins Dave Winfield, Frank Robinson, Vladimir Guerrero, Fred McGriff, Carlos Lee, and Orlando Cabrera. Edwin Encarnación (TOR): With his multi-homer game on May 29 against the Kansas City Royals, Encarnacion tied a Major League record with his fifth multi-homer game this month. That ties the record that was set by Harmon Killebrew in May 1959 and Albert Belle in September 1995. He hit 16 home runs in May, tying the American League record for home runs in May set by Mickey Mantle in May 1956. George Springer (HOU): With his home run on May 29 against the Baltimore Orioles, Springer has hit seven home runs in his last seven games. He became the second rookie in Major League history to hit seven home runs over a seven-game span in one season. Rudy York accomplished this in August 1937. Ryan Howard (PHI): Recorded his 1,000th career RBI with a home run in the seventh inning on May 31 against the New York Mets. He became the 276th player to reach this mark. On May 29 in a game against the New York Mets, Howard earned his 24th career Golden Sombrero, surpassing Reggie Jackson to take the all-time MLB lead. Adam Dunn (OAK)/: Recorded his 450th career home run with his homer in the ninth inning on June 6 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He became the 36th player to reach this mark. Jimmy Rollins (PHI): With his single in the fifth inning on June 14 against the Chicago Cubs, Rollins became the all-time franchise leader in hits with 2,235. He broke the record that was held by Mike Schmidt. Matt Holliday (STL):