This year’s Major League Baseball (MLB) season has made little sense. In the first half contenders rose to the occasion, but the second half has brought a tension-filled playoff race. The New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers are on top, but teams like the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets from the National League (NL) and Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros from the American League (AL) have tightened the race.
The Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins have faltered recently, which has made the AL Wild Card race a dead heat. With the top teams having their share of miscues since the All-Star Break, clubs well behind have made up some ground.
The Tigers might be the most notable of the bunch, playing like one of the top five teams in baseball since the break. Outfielders Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene and second baseman Colt Keith are making the most of this stretch and are tearing the cover off the ball. This group is also carried by an ace in Tarik Skubal and a consistent bullpen. The scariest teams going into the final month are those that have nothing to lose, and the Tigers have shown why.
The Royals have one of baseball’s brightest future stars in shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., and he’s been willing his team to the postseason. With veteran catcher Salvador Perez driving in a ton of runs alongside him, the offense has provided enough juice for their loaded pitching staff. The Royals boast a deep group that should be ready to carry the load headlined by veteran starter Seth Lugo. Pitching goes a long way in the postseason, and the Royals have exactly that.
The Astros are back. They couldn’t get it going early on, but their hot stretch was inevitable. With their consistently ferocious group on the offensive side and starters Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown giving the Astros exactly what they need on the mound, they’re one of the most dangerous teams. Starter Ronel Blanco has added a new layer to the group as well. He’s pitched like a top starter, adding a dangerous second option behind Valdez come postseason time.
The NL is a bit more loaded than the AL, and the wild card contenders have made some noise lately. While the frontrunning Dodgers, Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers have had a slew of injuries, teams behind are running with the opportunity.
The NL West has been very competitive, and the Padres and Diamondbacks are giving the Dodgers all they got and are ready to make a name for themselves this postseason.
For the Padres, they made some big moves at the trade deadline, and it played out to perfection. After adding relievers Jason Adam and Tanner Scott, the back end of the bullpen is unhittable. They also have a well-rounded rotation, and their lineup is loaded with proven talent in outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and budding star outfielder Jackson Merrill. With the way they’re all playing, they might be the team to beat.
The reigning NL champion Diamondbacks know a thing or two about getting hot at the right time, and they’re at it again. Star second baseman Ketel Marte has been a catalyst in this run. In most seasons, he’d be recognized as a legitimate Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidate, and he’s a bat that can carry a team in October. He’s been joined by a team of heavy hitters, launching balls out of the ballpark with ease. While their pitching is weaker, if their postseason success last season is any indication of the future, these guys should be dealing in October.
The Mets are red hot. Fans saw them as the laughing stock of the league in 2023, after spending $420 million on that season’s roster. Now, the tides are turning. Shortstop Francisco Lindor is leading his team, flashing the glove and putting up superstar numbers. The rest of the batting order is flexing their muscles as well, with first baseman Pete Alonso putting up his yearly totals and third baseman Mark Vientos breaking out in a big way. On the mound, a trio of seasoned veteran starters in Jose Quintana, Luis Severino and Sean Manaea are putting in work. It’s taken some time, but the Mets are doing damage during this stretch run.
With just a few games left, the door is wide open in this year’s race to the postseason. Fans are on the edge of their seats as the contenders write the end of their 2024 regular season stories.
