Template:1986 AL East standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Red Sox | 95 | 66 | .590 | — | 51–30 | 44–36 |
| New York Yankees | 90 | 72 | .556 | 5½ | 41–39 | 49–33 |
| Detroit Tigers | 87 | 75 | .537 | 8½ | 49–32 | 38–43 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 86 | 76 | .531 | 9½ | 42–39 | 44–37 |
| Cleveland Indians | 84 | 78 | .519 | 11½ | 45–35 | 39–43 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 77 | 84 | .478 | 18 | 41–39 | 36–45 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 73 | 89 | .451 | 22½ | 37–42 | 36–47 |