Template:1988 AL East standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Red Sox | 89 | 73 | .549 | — | 53–28 | 36–45 |
| Detroit Tigers | 88 | 74 | .543 | 1 | 50–31 | 38–43 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 87 | 75 | .537 | 2 | 47–34 | 40–41 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 87 | 75 | .537 | 2 | 45–36 | 42–39 |
| New York Yankees | 85 | 76 | .528 | 3½ | 46–34 | 39–42 |
| Cleveland Indians | 78 | 84 | .481 | 11 | 44–37 | 34–47 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 54 | 107 | .335 | 34½ | 34–46 | 20–61 |