MLB WILD CARD UPDATE

 MLB Wild Card Update

    With the Red Sox eliminated, how does the rest of the MLB wild card races look? In a marathon of a season, it all comes down to the final week of the season for some teams. This is when the postseason race gets wild. Where do the remaining teams fall in their hunt for October?

    Starting with the American League, the Blue Jays clinched a playoff spot, and currently sit in first place in the wild card standing with the Yankees clinching the division a matter of days ago. In second place, the slumping Rays are struggling to hang on to their second spot, a half game up, with the Mariners looking to come out of a slump of their own and secure their first playoff berth since 2001. The Orioles, after knocking the Red Sox out of contention, are looking to unseat the Mariners or Rays, currently five games out heading into the final week, and a series against the Yankees. 

    In the National League, the Braves currently sit in the first wild card spot, with still a chance to win the division over the rival Mets. In the second spot, the Padres are three games up over the Brewers and Phillies, both of whom appear to be in a near freefall as they claw for the final spot. The Padres have won 8 of their last 11 and look to secure their first playoff berth in a full season since 2006. The only remaining team in the hunt is the Giants, who, with six games out and seven games remaining, look to be nearly eliminated. In their last 10 games, the Phillies have gone 3-7, falling out of the second wild card spot, now tied with the Brewers, who are coming out of their own slump.

    So, who are the best bets to make the playoffs this last week? In the American League, I would say the Mariners. They just had a huge slump knocking them out of the second wild card spot, but have recently looked to come out of the slump, heading into a home stand to close out the season. For the National League, although it may be biased, I would say the Padres. Again, they’ve won 8 of their last 11, coming out of another slump on the backs of their pitching and resurging offense. They are also currently going toe-to-toe with the Dodgers at home. These teams, in my mind, have the best chance to clinch the playoffs, with magic numbers at five and four, respectively.