The MLB playoffs are right around the corner and the playoff picture is shaping up, with plenty of teams that still have a chance to make the 10 team field. I will be taking you through all of the division races, as well as the wild card races and looking at who has the best shot at making the playoff.
AL East
The AL East race has been pretty much decided with the Tampa Bay Rays holding a 9 game lead over the Boston Red Sox as of September 11th. The Rays continue to find a way to field a competitive team each year despite a low payroll which is very impressive. Their front office does a great job trading away star players and getting a good return for them without giving away too much of their current team which puts them in this position year in and year out. The Rays will definitely win the AL East this year.
AL Central
The same goes for the AL Central with the Chicago White Sox leading the Cleveland Indians by 11 games. The White Sox have had a great year and have run away with the division behind a top 10 offense and defense. They are a scary team that could make a run to the World Series and win it all because they have all the right pieces including a World Series winning manager in Tony La Russa. The White Sox will easily win this division by a landslide.
AL West
This is a closer division race but the Houston Astros still have a 5.5 game lead on the Seattle Mariners and the Oakland Athletics. It could get interesting since the Astros still have to play the Athletics six more times which can close the division lead. I think that the Athletics have a good shot at making this interesting but they do have the hardest schedule remaining out of the three teams. I still believe that the Astros will win the division but it will be by less than 3 games in the end.
AL Wild Card
This is where things get crazy for the American League. The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees currently hold the two wild card spots but the Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics, and the Seattle Mariners are not too far behind. Everyone is within two games of each other which will make this a fun race to watch as the end of the season nears. Out of these five teams, the Red Sox have the easiest schedule with the Blue Jays not far behind them. I think that strength of schedule might be the deciding factor for these two spots, but in the end, I believe that the Blue Jays will make it and the Mariners will end their postseason drought.
NL East
Arguably the worst division this year is shaping up to be one of the more interesting division races. The Atlanta Braves lead the Philadelphia Phillies by 4.5 games and the New York Mets by 5 games. This could change very quickly though, with each team playing the other two at least three more times. It could all come down to the last weekend of the season when the Mets play the Braves in a three game season to end the year and the Phillies wrapping their regular season up with the Marlins. The Phillies have the easiest remaining schedule in the big leagues and if them and the Mets find themselves within three games of the Braves entering the last series things could get very interesting. I still believe that the Braves will win the division at this point but the other two teams having a fighters chance.
NL Central
The NL Central is shaping up to be just like the AL Central and the AL East. The Milwaukee Brewers have a 12 game lead over the Cincinnati Reds and that is an impossible feat to come back from in such little time. The Brewers have had their pitching staff carry them throughout the season with Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff both being in the top 5 in ERA. The Brewers will coast into the postseason where they will probably have a desirable matchup with the winner of the NL East.
NL West
The San Francisco Giants have held the division lead for most of the year and currently have a 2.5 game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is the tightest division race this season and might end that way as well. The Dodgers and Giants do not have any games against each other remaining but the Dodgers do have an easier schedule which could work in their favor. I believe that this race will come down to the last weekend with the Giants ultimately winning the division.
NL Wild Card
Although not as crazy as the AL Wild Card, the NL Wild Card is very interesting. The San Diego Padres and the Cincinnati Reds are tied for the final spot with the Dodgers comfortably sitting in the first spot. The Padres have not lived up to expectations this year and they have the hardest schedule remaining in the league and it is not even close. There are three teams behind them, all within 4 games and they could make a run for the final wild card spot as well. The Padres will have to overcome a brutal schedule and the Cincinnati Reds have nine more games against the Pittsburgh Pirates who are one of the worst teams in the league. The Reds should be able to lock up the final spot with ease but we will have to wait and see.
Playoffs if Season Ended Today
American League:
Wild Card Game: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox
ALDS: NYY/BOS vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros
National League
Wild Card Game: CIN/SD vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
NLDS: CIN/SD/LAD vs. San Francisco Giants
Atlanta Braves vs. Milwaukee Brewers
What are your predictions for the rest of the season? Comment down below and click the link to vote in a poll!
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