Major League Baseball’s home stretch has arrived, and the final regular-season edition of the SAN Power Rankings is topped by the two teams that have clinched a playoff spot. Several other playoff races are likely to go down to the wire in the final 11 games of the season.
The top two teams are playoff-bound
The Milwaukee Brewers were the first team to earn a playoff spot, and by next week, they can wrap up the NL Central. Their magical season included a franchise record 14 straight wins in August, part of a 29-5 run that pushed them to the best record in baseball. Manager Pat Murphy – with a few future Brewers by his side – talked about how his team doesn’t quit.
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“That’s just who they are,” Murphy said. “They want to compete, and they know they’re different. They know they’re not a powerhouse that’s stacked like some of these other teams that we’ll play, but what are they going to do, play differently now? We can only play the way we play.”
The Brewers’ performance has somewhat overshadowed a fantastic season for the Phillies. Led by Kyle Schwarber’s 52 home runs, the Fightin’ Phils won the National League East on Tuesday, earlier than they ever have. They beat the Dodgers 6-5 to clinch and have a 21-10 record since Aug. 14.
Which teams rule the American League?
The Seattle Mariners are up one spot to third. They are the hottest team in baseball, riding a nine-game winning streak. Cal Raleigh’s historic season continues. His 54th homer on Sunday tied Mickey Mantle for the most all-time by a switch-hitter. Big Dumper and the M’s are in first place in the AL West.
Toronto continues to play great baseball; they drop to four only because the Mariners are so hot. The Jays are 18-11 over the last month and have the best home record in baseball at 50-25. Nobody is going to want to play north of the border in October.
The Detroit Tigers are fifth in the final regular-season rankings. They were the best team in the majors over the first half of the season, but have played .500 baseball in the last month. The Tigers’ magic number to win the AL Central is down to six. They battle the Cleveland Guardians in six of the next nine games that will likely decide the crown.
What about last year’s World Series teams?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are another club stuck in a division battle, but winning six of their last eight games has given them a bit of breathing room over the San Diego Padres. The defending World Series champions have had an up-and-down season, but have proved they can flip the switch when it counts.
One month ago, the New York Yankees were in a serious slump and fell out of the top ten. After a 19-10 run, they seem to have their swagger back. Aaron Judge is two homers shy of 50, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. is one homer away from a 30-30 season. He’s backing up all the brash talk.
“We’re the best team in the league,” Chisholm Jr. said. “Any team that thinks they’re better than us, they should know that when we step on the field, we’re coming with relentlessness. We’re coming to step on necks, and we’re not here to play around. We’re here to do the job, get the job done.”
Which teams round out the top 10?
The Chicago Cubs’ magic number to clinch a playoff spot is down to two. The North-Siders are 13-9 over their last 24 games and will likely be the fourth seed in the National League. They’ll need Pete Crow-Armstrong to get back to his first-half form and Kyle Tucker to return from a sore calf to complete their playoff lineup.
The Boston Red Sox are ranked ninth. They are clinging to a wild card spot with 12 games remaining in their regular season. A recent 10-3 stretch helped them settle down from what has been a roller coaster finish.
The Houston Astros are a half-game behind the Red Sox in the wild card standings and also a half-game behind the Mariners in the National League West division race. They need one last push to earn their ninth consecutive playoff berth.
The AL wild card race will likely go down to the final few days of the season. There’s always the possibility that a one-game playoff will be needed to decide which teams get in.
