{"id":326195,"date":"2025-09-19T11:03:28","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T11:03:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/326195\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T11:03:28","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T11:03:28","slug":"playoff-contenders-on-the-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/326195\/","title":{"rendered":"Playoff contenders on the move"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"c-paragraph\">It&#8217;s official. Three teams have clinched playoff spots, meaning there are nine left to fill with 11 days remaining in the 2025 regular season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">For the second consecutive year, the Brewers clinched the season&#8217;s first postseason spot. They were followed by the Phillies, who first clinched a berth and won the National League East title for the second straight year the following night, and then the Cubs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Now, we wait to see who&#8217;s next.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">It&#8217;s just a matter of time before additional clubs lock up berths &#8212; such as the Blue Jays and Dodgers &#8212; but others still have a lot to play for. In the past week, we&#8217;ve seen the Mariners go on a run that has vaulted them back into first place in the division, while the Mets suffered a losing streak that almost dropped them out of the playoff picture entirely.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Some of these playoff races will go down to the final days of the season. Get ready for some exciting baseball!<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we&#8217;ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts Buster Olney, Bradford Doolittle and David Schoenfield to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Week 24 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279801_142_mil.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>1. Milwaukee Brewers<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a093-59<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a01<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">The Brewers were the first team to clinch a postseason slot this season, but they have no time to rest on their laurels. Topping the remaining to-do list is the quest to hold off the Phillies for the NL&#8217;s top seed, which could be key if the teams meet in the NLCS given how dominant they&#8217;ve both been at home. If Milwaukee does that, it&#8217;ll also tick off its other major remaining items: breaking the franchise mark for wins in a season (96, set in 2011 and tied in 2018) and clinching the NL Central title over the pesky Cubs. &#8212; Doolittle<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279801_578_phi.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>2. Philadelphia Phillies<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a091-62<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a02<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">The Phillies clinched their second straight NL East title with a 10-inning win at Dodger Stadium on Monday. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/kyle-schwarber\/83583\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/kyle-schwarber\/83583\" target=\"_blank\">Kyle Schwarber<\/a> hit his 53rd home run and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/harrison-bader\/121156\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/harrison-bader\/121156\" target=\"_blank\">Harrison Bader<\/a> stole third base in the 10th, setting up the go-ahead sacrifice fly. That led to a raucous postgame celebration. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/bryce-harper\/2178\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/bryce-harper\/2178\" target=\"_blank\">Bryce Harper<\/a> drank apple juice while his teammates had some stronger refreshments. Then they rallied for another dramatic win on Tuesday as backup catcher <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/rafael-marchan\/309213\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/rafael-marchan\/309213\" target=\"_blank\">Rafael Marchan<\/a> hit a two-out, three-run home run in the ninth following an intentional walk to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/bryson-stott\/374222\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/bryson-stott\/374222\" target=\"_blank\">Bryson Stott<\/a>. The Phillies look ready for October. &#8212; Schoenfield<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279802_391_tor.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>3. Toronto Blue Jays<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a089-63<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a05<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Toronto&#8217;s chances of winning the American League East stand at an overwhelming 95.6%, per FanGraphs, leaving manager John Schneider to deliberate over how to arrange his playoff rotation. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/kevin-gausman\/1037\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/kevin-gausman\/1037\" target=\"_blank\">Kevin Gausman<\/a> seems to be the most logical choice to start in Game 1, and after that, Schneider has a wealth of options: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/shane-bieber\/274642\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/shane-bieber\/274642\" target=\"_blank\">Shane Bieber<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/chris-bassitt\/56576\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/chris-bassitt\/56576\" target=\"_blank\">Chris Bassitt<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/max-scherzer\/1248\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/max-scherzer\/1248\" target=\"_blank\">Max Scherzer<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/eric-lauer\/191171\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/eric-lauer\/191171\" target=\"_blank\">Eric Lauer<\/a> and now rookie Trey Yesavage, who was dominant in his MLB debut on Monday. Other teams should be jealous of the Jays&#8217; depth. &#8212; Olney<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279802_343_lad.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>4. Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a085-67<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a03<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">It&#8217;s easy to focus on what <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/shohei-ohtani\/273817\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/shohei-ohtani\/273817\" target=\"_blank\">Shohei Ohtani<\/a> is doing in the regular season and what role he might fill in the playoffs. But the Dodgers have the serious business of winning the NL West again to still take care of. The stakes are huge. Barring collapses elsewhere in the circuit, the winner of the West is going to be a 3-seed and the second-place team is going to be No. 5. Thus the Dodgers will either get to host the struggling Mets (probably), or they&#8217;ll find themselves playing the first round at Wrigley Field against a hungry Cubs team that has been playing well. &#8212; Doolittle<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279802_755_chc.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>5. Chicago Cubs<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a088-64<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a07<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">The Cubs aren&#8217;t out of the NL Central race just yet, but even if that pursuit comes up short, they are in solid position to be the league&#8217;s top wild card &#8212; and secured a playoff berth Wednesday with a win over Pittsburgh. The offense has been ticking up a little over the past couple of weeks, though the improvement hasn&#8217;t included first-half standout\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/pete-crow-armstrong\/392819\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/pete-crow-armstrong\/392819\" target=\"_blank\">Pete Crow-Armstrong<\/a>. He has been better than he was in August, but given his .446 OPS that month, the bar was low. Overall, his second-half OPS sits at .625. When the Cubs were roiling the scoreboard earlier this season, it was PCA leading the charge. North Siders would feel a lot better about the coming postseason if he is able to heat up over the last few days of the season. &#8212; Doolittle<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279802_495_det.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>6. Detroit Tigers<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a085-67<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a04<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">The Tigers&#8217; rotation struggles behind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/tarik-skubal\/374129\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/tarik-skubal\/374129\" target=\"_blank\">Tarik Skubal<\/a> have been a little surprising, given the veterans on the roster. But that doesn&#8217;t mean manager A.J. Hinch will be without weapons in the playoffs. &#8220;You know how A.J. is &#8212; he&#8217;s going to mix and match from game to game,&#8221; said one evaluator. And the Tigers have developed or acquired a lot of bullpen options, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/troy-melton\/1045405\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/troy-melton\/1045405\" target=\"_blank\">Troy Melton<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jose-urquidy\/153861\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jose-urquidy\/153861\" target=\"_blank\">Jose Urquidy<\/a> (who pitched 1\u2153 innings Sunday) and, they hope, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/kyle-finnegan\/192306\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/kyle-finnegan\/192306\" target=\"_blank\">Kyle Finnegan<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/paul-sewald\/121161\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/paul-sewald\/121161\" target=\"_blank\">Paul Sewald<\/a>, who are working their way back from injury and are expected back soon. &#8212; Olney<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279802_708_nyy.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>7. New York Yankees<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a085-67<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a06<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jose-caballero\/332708\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jose-caballero\/332708\" target=\"_blank\">Jose Caballero<\/a> had started six consecutive games at shortstop for the Yankees before <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/anthony-volpe\/374209\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/anthony-volpe\/374209\" target=\"_blank\">Anthony Volpe<\/a> started Tuesday&#8217;s game, notching two hits. It appears there is effectively an open competition at the position: Whoever plays better will play. With Volpe eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter, and with prospect George Lombard climbing (and thriving) through the farm system, it&#8217;s unclear who the Yankees&#8217; shortstop will be in 2026. &#8212; Olney<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279803_294_sea.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>8. Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a083-69<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a012<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">You may have heard that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/cal-raleigh\/330723\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/cal-raleigh\/330723\" target=\"_blank\">Cal Raleigh<\/a> is having quite the season. He hit his 55th and 56th home runs in the same game Tuesday, passing Mickey Mantle for the most home runs in a season by a switch-hitter and tying Ken Griffey Jr.&#8217;s club record with No. 56. Suddenly, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/aaron-judge\/83595\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/aaron-judge\/83595\" target=\"_blank\">Aaron Judge<\/a>&#8216;s AL record of 62 home runs is back in play if Raleigh can mount a furious finish.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Oh, and the win in Kansas City, which has been a house of horrors for Seattle in recent seasons, was also the Mariners&#8217; 10th in a row. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/dominic-canzone\/577644\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/dominic-canzone\/577644\" target=\"_blank\">Dominic Canzone<\/a> went 5-for-5 with three home runs in the same game, becoming the fourth player in 2025 to reach those totals and just the 45th player to do it in the majors since 1901. (No player has done it twice.) The only other Mariner to do it was Mickey Brantley in 1987. (Mike Cameron didn&#8217;t have five hits in his four-homer game.)\u00a0&#8212; Schoenfield<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279803_372_sd.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>9. San Diego Padres<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a083-69<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a09<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Will the Padres&#8217; vaunted bullpen hold up over the stretch run and into the playoffs? Their rotation has been hit or miss for a month now, which only increases the load for a stacked bullpen fortified by the trade deadline acquisition of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/mason-miller-576017\/576017\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/mason-miller-576017\/576017\" target=\"_blank\">Mason Miller<\/a>. Miller has been phenomenal as a Padre and it&#8217;s a good thing, since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jason-adam\/56228\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jason-adam\/56228\" target=\"_blank\">Jason Adam<\/a> went down with an injury, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jeremiah-estrada\/882082\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jeremiah-estrada\/882082\" target=\"_blank\">Jeremiah Estrada<\/a> has had a rough month in the gopher ball department and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/adrian-morejon\/191169\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/adrian-morejon\/191169\" target=\"_blank\">Adrian Morejon<\/a> has struggled in September. Can the unit that so many viewed as the Padres&#8217; October trump card regain its menace? &#8212; Doolittle<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279803_280_bos.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>10. Boston Red Sox<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a083-69<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a08<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">When the Red Sox took the first three games of a four-game series against the Yankees in late August, New York manager Aaron Boone was asked how Boston had improved during the season. &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/roman-anthony\/1008798\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/roman-anthony\/1008798\" target=\"_blank\">Roman Anthony<\/a> is pretty good,&#8221; he replied, noting the difference the lefty-hitting rookie made. Since Anthony has been out of the lineup with an oblique injury, Boston is now feeling his absence in a significant way. In 35 games before he got hurt, he had a .326 average, and the Red Sox were 22-13. Since his injury, the Red Sox have gone 5-7, averaging less than 4.0 runs per game. &#8212; Olney<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279803_49_hou.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>11. Houston Astros<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a084-69<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a010<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Just when you thought the injury list couldn&#8217;t get any longer for the Astros, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/yordan-alvarez\/274660\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/yordan-alvarez\/274660\" target=\"_blank\">Yordan Alvarez<\/a> sprained his ankle while scoring a run in Monday&#8217;s win over the Rangers and will miss significant time. Alvarez had returned three weeks ago after missing 100 games with a broken bone in his hand. Rookie Zach Cole, playing just his fourth MLB game, replaced Alvarez in the lineup and hit the go-ahead home run, then added an RBI single. The Astros beat the Rangers again Tuesday as they held on for a 6-5 win after leading 6-0. Houston&#8217;s crucial week of AL West action will continue when the Mariners come to town for the battle for first place. &#8212; Schoenfield<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279804_926_tex.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>12. Texas Rangers<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a079-74<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a013<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">The Rangers got to within two games of first place in the division after winning the first two games against the Mets over the weekend to extend their winning streak to six in a row. It looked like the seventh consecutive win was in reach after the Rangers scored twice to force extra innings in Sunday&#8217;s game, but they couldn&#8217;t score in the top of the 10th and rookie <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/luis-curvelo\/1032894\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/luis-curvelo\/1032894\" target=\"_blank\">Luis Curvelo<\/a> served up the walk-off home run to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/pete-alonso\/192796\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/pete-alonso\/192796\" target=\"_blank\">Pete Alonso<\/a>. Two losses to the Astros followed and the Rangers fell behind Cleveland in the wild-card standings. They might have to go 6-0 on this upcoming homestand against the Marlins and Twins to even have a chance at the postseason. &#8212; Schoenfield<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279804_201_nym.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>13. New York Mets<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a078-74<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a011<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">The wild, topsy-turvy, frustrating, unpredictable year continues for the Mets as they desperately try to hang on to the final wild card. They lost eight in a row before <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/pete-alonso\/192796\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/pete-alonso\/192796\" target=\"_blank\">Pete Alonso<\/a> perhaps rescued the season with his 10th-inning walk-off home run to beat the Rangers on Sunday. An eight-run outburst against Padres starter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/michael-king\/275704\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/michael-king\/275704\" target=\"_blank\">Michael King<\/a> followed in New York&#8217;s next game. If the Mets are to hang on, the rookie starting pitcher trio of Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat will play a huge role. McLean continues to take over as the rotation ace while Sproat&#8217;s second career start was a beauty &#8212; six scoreless innings against the Rangers. &#8212; Schoenfield<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279804_719_cle.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>14. Cleveland Guardians<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a080-71<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a015<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">You really can&#8217;t apply logic to what&#8217;s going on with the Guardians these days, but here&#8217;s what&#8217;s left on the table for them as they try to press Boston for the last wild-card berth in the AL: four games in a weekend series in Minnesota, including a doubleheader Saturday, followed by six home games next week against the Tigers and Rangers. Keep in mind that Detroit is likely to be focused on preparing its rotation for the postseason, so Cleveland won&#8217;t see a full dose of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/tarik-skubal\/374129\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/tarik-skubal\/374129\" target=\"_blank\">Tarik Skubal<\/a>, in all likelihood. &#8212; Olney<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279804_478_ari.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>15. Arizona Diamondbacks<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a077-76<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a019<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Arizona&#8217;s playoff odds dropped precariously close to zero near the end of August. Given the Diamondbacks&#8217; deadline-related activity, which included trading a corner infield combo (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/josh-naylor\/191167\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/josh-naylor\/191167\" target=\"_blank\">Josh Naylor<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/eugenio-suarez\/48309\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/eugenio-suarez\/48309\" target=\"_blank\">Eugenio Suarez<\/a>) who combined for 47 homers and 146 RBIs before being dealt, that was no surprise. What&#8217;s happened since is Arizona has climbed back to the outer perimeter of the wild-card race. How? The sagging Mets, a red-hot offense and the amazing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/geraldo-perdomo\/330622\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/geraldo-perdomo\/330622\" target=\"_blank\">Geraldo Perdomo<\/a>, for whom you can make a solid case as the NL&#8217;s No. 2 pick on the MVP ballot behind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/shohei-ohtani\/273817\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/shohei-ohtani\/273817\" target=\"_blank\">Shohei Ohtani<\/a>. &#8212; Doolittle<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279805_346_sf.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>16. San Francisco Giants<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a076-76<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a014<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">A tough series at Arizona probably sapped the Giants&#8217; second-wind playoff chase, though all is not yet technically lost. But even if the postseason is out, Giants fans can focus on powerhouse Bryce Eldridge, summoned in mid-September for his big league debut. Eldridge began the season at Double-A and later moved up to Triple-A, where his results were a mixed bag. But the Giants had a need at first base and so took a chance that Eldridge &#8212; listed at 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds &#8212; is ready to make some McCovey Cove splashes at age 20. &#8212; Doolittle<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279805_316_cin.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>17. Cincinnati Reds<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a076-76<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a017<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">For now, Reds fans can continue to fixate on the wild-card standings. That&#8217;s more to the largesse of the Mets &#8212; who stubbornly refuse to put a hammerlock on the NL&#8217;s 6-seed &#8212; than anything Cincinnati has done. But the standings are what they are, and if the Reds catch fire, they might yet play some October baseball in Terry Francona&#8217;s first season managing the club. Their remaining schedule is tough, though: four home games against the Cubs, a possible breather against Pittsburgh, then three games in Milwaukee, owner of baseball&#8217;s best record. &#8212; Doolittle<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279805_468_kc.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>18. Kansas City Royals<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a076-76<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a016<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Though their chances of making the playoffs are all but zero, the Royals are still playing meaningful baseball, which is surprising given the volume of injuries they have sustained with their rotation this year. But here they are. Meanwhile, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/salvador-perez\/1059\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/salvador-perez\/1059\" target=\"_blank\">Salvador Perez<\/a> has reached a couple of major benchmarks, mashing his 300th career homer (he&#8217;s now at 302) and notching his 1,000th career RBI (now 1,008). As former teammate Eric Hosmer wrote on Twitter: &#8220;HOFer on and off [the field]. If you disagree meet me in the octagon.&#8221; &#8212; Olney<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279805_398_tb.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>19. Tampa Bay Rays<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a074-78<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a018<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Barring a binge of wins down the stretch, the Rays are not going to reach the playoffs this year, but they have a superstar in the making in third baseman <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/junior-caminero\/895628\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/junior-caminero\/895628\" target=\"_blank\">Junior Caminero<\/a>, who will likely get some top-10 MVP votes. Since the All-Star break, Caminero has clubbed 21 homers with 48 RBIs and an 0.919 OPS in 55 games. &#8212; Olney<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279805_296_stl.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>20. St. Louis Cardinals<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a074-79<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a020<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">To be frank, the Cardinals haven&#8217;t given their fans many reasons to remain engaged until the end of the season. Their playoff chances are spent and, as they play out the string, the September call-ups don&#8217;t involve elite prospects. Maybe the focus will be on the rumor mill with an eye toward what will happen when this ho-hum campaign finally draws to a close. We know that baseball operations chief John Mozeliak will be handing the baton to Chaim Bloom. What other changes may be in store? &#8212; Doolittle<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279806_403_oak.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>21. Athletics<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a071-81<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a023<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">What more can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/nick-kurtz-1035286\/1035286\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/nick-kurtz-1035286\/1035286\" target=\"_blank\">Nick Kurtz<\/a> do in his rookie season? How about blasting a titanic 493-foot grand slam Saturday that soared over the batter&#8217;s eye in center field at Sutter Health Park. It was the longest home run in the majors this season, the longest by an A&#8217;s hitter in the Statcast era (since 2015) and the longest grand slam in the Statcast era. Kurtz has slowed down a bit in September, but his OPS continues to hover just above 1.000, trailing only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/aaron-judge\/83595\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/aaron-judge\/83595\" target=\"_blank\">Aaron Judge<\/a> and neck and neck with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/shohei-ohtani\/273817\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/shohei-ohtani\/273817\" target=\"_blank\">Shohei Ohtani<\/a>. &#8212; Schoenfield<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279806_428_bal.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>22. Baltimore Orioles<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a072-80<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a021<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Baltimore was eliminated from playoff contention Tuesday, a quiet ending to a season that began with such lofty expectations, following seasons of 101 and 91 wins in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The Orioles&#8217; greatest challenge this winter will be to build a pitching staff behind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/trevor-rogers\/274701\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/trevor-rogers\/274701\" target=\"_blank\">Trevor Rogers<\/a> with the likes of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/dean-kremer\/330631\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/dean-kremer\/330631\" target=\"_blank\">Dean Kremer<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/tyler-wells-390309\/390309\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/tyler-wells-390309\/390309\" target=\"_blank\">Tyler Wells<\/a> and perhaps <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/grayson-rodriguez\/330466\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/grayson-rodriguez\/330466\" target=\"_blank\">Grayson Rodriguez<\/a>. They have a number of arbitration-eligible players, but not a single starter or reliever under contract for 2026, 2027 or beyond. Money talks. &#8212; Olney<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279806_116_atl.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>23. Atlanta Braves<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a070-83<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a022<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/matt-olson\/51433\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/matt-olson\/51433\" target=\"_blank\">Matt Olson<\/a> homered in four straight games and has been red-hot in September, hitting well over .300 with an OPS over 1.200. He quietly has had a terrific season, leading the NL in doubles (tied with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/freddie-freeman\/1668\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/freddie-freeman\/1668\" target=\"_blank\">Freddie Freeman<\/a>), and he has a chance to get to both 100 runs and 100 RBIs for the third time in his career. His 6.2 WAR is fourth among NL position players. No, it&#8217;s not 2023, when he led the NL in home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage, but he has a good case as the best first baseman in the majors in 2025. &#8212; Schoenfield<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279806_41_mia.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>24. Miami Marlins<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a072-80<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a024<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">One thing to look forward to in 2026: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/sandy-alcantara\/121732\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/sandy-alcantara\/121732\" target=\"_blank\">Sandy Alcantara<\/a> has looked much more like the pitcher he was before his Tommy John surgery, with a 3.09 ERA over his past 10 starts and 2.48 over his past six. While his 5.53 season ERA is still high, his OPS allowed is 0.712, not much higher than it was in 2023 (0.693). No, those aren&#8217;t anything close to his Cy Young numbers of 2022, but hopefully he can provide a stabilizing force next season to a rotation that has struggled overall with injuries and inconsistency and ranks 28th in ERA. &#8212; Schoenfield<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279806_802_min.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>25. Minnesota Twins<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a066-86<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a026<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">By season&#8217;s end, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/byron-buxton\/51421\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/byron-buxton\/51421\" target=\"_blank\">Byron Buxton<\/a> is likely to surpass career highs in plate appearances, hits, home runs and RBIs, among other categories. For years, he has been viewed through the prism of potential &#8212; what he might accomplish if not for the many injuries he has incurred in his career. Buxton has mostly stayed on the field this year and has likely set himself up for some top-10 votes on the AL MVP ballot. &#8212; Olney<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279807_436_laa.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>26. Los Angeles Angels<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a069-83<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a025<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">The Angels&#8217; woes continue as Seattle&#8217;s four-game sweep put them into last place behind the A&#8217;s. While they won&#8217;t reach last year&#8217;s franchise record 99 losses, they&#8217;ve locked in a 10th straight losing season. On the bright side, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jo-adell\/274683\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jo-adell\/274683\" target=\"_blank\">Jo Adell<\/a> continues to mash home runs and is up to 36 on the season, although his overall value remains just 1.5 WAR due to a low OBP and subpar defensive metrics. (It hasn&#8217;t helped that the Angels have played him regularly in center field, a position he shouldn&#8217;t be playing.) Still, it&#8217;s been a nice season for the former top prospect, who entered 2025 with a career OPS+ of 79 spread across five seasons. &#8212; Schoenfield<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279807_163_pit.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>27. Pittsburgh Pirates<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a065-88<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a027<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/paul-skenes\/1006665\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/paul-skenes\/1006665\" target=\"_blank\">Paul Skenes<\/a> get his ERA back under 2.00 before the end of the season? His last outing (three runs and seven hits allowed over 3\u2154 innings) was his poorest of the season, raising his ERA to 2.03. Pirates manager Don Kelly said that the outing would be Skenes&#8217; last home start, and it&#8217;s up in the air whether he&#8217;ll get one or two more turns since Kelly has been using a six-man rotation. Let&#8217;s hope it&#8217;s two because Skenes Day is really all Pirates fans have to look forward to at this point. If he gets back under 2.00, he would become just the fifth pitcher to finish with a 1-something ERA over at least 100 innings in each of his first two seasons. &#8212; Doolittle<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279807_372_chw.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>28. Chicago White Sox<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a057-96<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a029<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">It&#8217;s possible &#8212; but unlikely &#8212; that the White Sox will avoid 100 losses; they would have to win six of their final 10 games in order to make that happen. Either way, it&#8217;s been a season of laying foundational pieces, none more important than shortstop <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/colson-montgomery\/575896\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/colson-montgomery\/575896\" target=\"_blank\">Colson Montgomery<\/a>, who hit 18 homers in his first 61 games in the majors (and counting). One of the challenges for the 23-year-old lefty-hitting shortstop is going to be performing better against left-handed pitching &#8212; he&#8217;s 11-for-62 (.177) against lefties with four walks. &#8212; Olney<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279808_401_wsh.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>29. Washington Nationals<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a062-91<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a028<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">The Nationals are going to need a complete overhaul in the offseason as they inch closer to 100 losses. Even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/james-wood\/576032\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/james-wood\/576032\" target=\"_blank\">James Wood<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/mackenzie-gore\/274723\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/mackenzie-gore\/274723\" target=\"_blank\">MacKenzie Gore<\/a> have struggled in the second half. With 209 strikeouts, Wood has a shot to break Mark Reynolds&#8217; MLB record of 223 set in 2009. The rotation ERA has increased from 4.77 in the first half to 5.92 in the second as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jake-irvin\/331086\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/jake-irvin\/331086\" target=\"_blank\">Jake Irvin<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/mitchell-parker-576128\/576128\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/mlb\/player\/mitchell-parker-576128\/576128\" target=\"_blank\">Mitchell Parker<\/a> have seen their season ERAs creep closer to 6.00. Parker has an 8.26 ERA since the beginning of August and has allowed at least one home run in nine consecutive starts. Irvin has a 7.78 ERA since late June. They shouldn&#8217;t be in the rotation, but the Nationals don&#8217;t have any other options. &#8212; Schoenfield<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758279808_389_col.png&#038;h=110&#038;w=110.png\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>30. Colorado Rockies<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Record:\u00a041-111<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Previous ranking:\u00a030<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">What should Rockies fans watch the rest of the way? The one-word answer: Broncos. But that&#8217;s too easy. So here&#8217;s this: One thing that is remarkable about this team is that it has drawn nearly 30,000 fans per game this season. That works out to around 55,000 per win in the overall standings. During their first two seasons in MLB, playing at Mile High Stadium, the expansion Rockies drew around 63,000 fans per win. If the Rockies can lose out while drawing an average of 45,000 fans during their remaining home games, they can just eke over the 60,000 fans-per-win mark for the first time since those expansion years. Then we can all rejoice. &#8212; Doolittle<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It&#8217;s official. Three teams have clinched playoff spots, meaning there are nine left to fill with 11 days&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":326196,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2378],"tags":[5,377,2554,48164,4,48165,282,70,46737,2553],"class_list":{"0":"post-326195","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-toronto-blue-jays","8":"tag-baseball","9":"tag-blue-jays","10":"tag-bluejays","11":"tag-milwaukee-brewers-sports-baseball-team-team-statscom-232","12":"tag-mlb","13":"tag-philadelphia-phillies-sports-baseball-team-team-statscom-246","14":"tag-toronto","15":"tag-toronto-blue-jays","16":"tag-toronto-blue-jays-sports-baseball-team-team-statscom-238","17":"tag-torontobluejays"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/115230632594334092","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=326195"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326195\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/326196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=326195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=326195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=326195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}