The object of the game was to make the teams try much harder to win the division. Otherwise they could mail it in.
Imagine in thge past where NYY and BOS are 1-2 no matter what. Who cared what order. Now the 2nd place could be in the Braves situation. Of course, if the Braves were that good, they would not have been throwing the ball all over the yard and they would have beaten the Cardinals.
It was the Rangers and Orioles who tied. The only difference is that the records count as "post-season" rather than as a 163rd regular season game.
We scoffed at wild cards in the NFL...My Jets were screwed in 1969 by a criss cross wild card system where the NFL did not want the Jets in Super Bowl 4 (that is, BEFORE they won Super Bowl 3) so they had to play eventual winner KC and lost.
A few years later, 1980, 5 teams in the AFC all had the same record ...11-5 The Radiers and Oilers were wild cards due to tie brakers, and SD, BUF and CLE won divisions....Oakland won the Super Bowl. How crazy is that.
We scoffed at 3 divisions in Baseball and a wild card. There were those opposed to inter-league play. Get used to it. This system is the new normal. Divisional play and LCS is only since 1969, but 42 years may be longer than many of you are alive. Last year's system was in place since only 1995, but that is almost 20 years. Seems like a day.