As Mookie Betts and Ronald Acuña Jr. traded homers Thursday at Dodger Stadium, the eye fixated as a lot at the back-and-forth MVP race as the sport itself. 

That’s a tribute to what the ones avid gamers — and their respective groups — are undertaking this presen. 

Year this weekend’s leads to Los Angeles may just manufacture an have an effect on on playoff seeding, neither the Dodgers nor the Braves want to concern about entering the dance. They’re the one groups with a double-digit department top, which brings with it a way of quitness and sleep alternative golf equipment can’t perceive. 

For many groups, the then few weeks will resolve their playoff destiny. And their power of time table the left-overs of the way in which may just manufacture the entire too much. 

Those are the contenders with the toughest roads to postseason competition: 

(Notice: Best groups fewer than 5 video games out of a playoff spot have been regarded as for this moment’s scores.)

NL’S ELITE

16) Atlanta Braves (90-46, 1st in NL East) 
FanGraphs’ Playoff Projections: 100%

15) Los Angeles Dodgers (84-52, 1st in NL West) 
Playoff Projections: 100%

Maximum anticipated a decent race this presen within the NL East some of the Braves, Mets and Phillies. This was once additionally supposedly the presen the Padres would seize the NL West crown. In lieu, it’s industry as familiar. 

Each the Braves and Dodgers have all however wrapped up their respective sections once more, this hour with greater than a life to play games. The Braves cemented their status as the most efficient workforce in baseball by means of taking 3 of 4 video games in Los Angeles this weekend, however neither workforce has a lot to fret in regards to the left-overs of the way in which out of doors of playoff seeding and figuring out which avid gamers will in the end manufacture their October rosters. 

BEASTS OF THE EAST

14) Baltimore Orioles (85-51, 1st in AL East)
Playoff Projections: 100%

13) Tampa Bay Rays (83-54, AL wild card Negative. 1) 
Playoff Projections: 99.8%

Just like the Braves and Dodgers, either one of those groups have constructed this sort of cushion at the left-overs of the contenders of their league that obtaining into the postseason isn’t a lot of a query. Sadly for them, they’re in .

Best 2.5 video games detached first-place Baltimore and second-place Tampa Bay, and the Rays have arguably the hardest slate of any contender. They silent have six video games towards the Blue Jays, 5 towards the still-competitive Purple Sox, 4 apiece towards the Mariners and Orioles and a three-game i’m ready with the Twins. All of the ones golf equipment may just silent be preventing for one thing in overdue September. 

Take into account that simplest the Nos. 1 and a pair of seeds get a first-round bye, and either one of the ones groups shall be department winners. The chances are robust that the supremacy two groups within the East end because the Nos. 1 and four seeds, respectively, which will have to give the Orioles and Rays enough to combat for the left-overs of the way in which — despite the fact that they each clinch a playoff spot lengthy sooner than season’s finish. 

FRONT AND CENTRAL

12) Minnesota Twins (71-66, 1st in AL Central)
Playoff Projections: 94.4%

Cleveland’s determination so as to add some Parent Angels all of sudden makes the AL Central race a tiny extra attention-grabbing. Minnesota can not waltz to a department identify fairly as simply as it could have appeared. Nonetheless, the Twins have constructed a at ease five-game cushion within the department and feature the very best power of time table too much of any playoff contender.

11) Milwaukee Brewers (76-60, 1st in NL Central) 
Playoff Projections: 98.8%

They have already got a leg up at the left-overs of the Central, and they’ve an more uncomplicated highway forward than the second-place Cubs. They get to play games the Cardinals seven extra instances — who may just’ve predicted that may be a welcome eye? — however a three-game i’m ready towards the Cubs to finish the presen is putting in for some a laugh. 

PHILLIN’ GOOD 

10)  Philadelphia Phillies (75-61, NL wild card Negative.1) 
Playoff Projections: 96.3%

The Phillies in finding themselves in a division on their very own. They’re now not profitable the East, however they’re at ease atop the wild-card standings, even next shedding a order to the Brewers. It could be a trauma in the event that they fizzle out of the playoff combine, even with seven extra video games towards the Braves. Seven of the Phillies’ ultimate 10 video games are towards a Mets workforce that doesn’t wish to win. Next once more, if the ones video games finally end up having postseason implications, the Amazins may discover a tiny extra juice.  

WEST WATCH 

9) Houston Astros (77-61, AL wild card Negative. 3) 
Playoff Projections: 88.7%

It’ll be brittle enough quantity for the Mariners and Rangers to conserve off the reigning champions and win the department. Upload on the truth that 9 of the Astros’ ultimate 24 video games are towards the A’s and Royals, and it’s brittle to believe Houston out of the playoff image both as a department winner or wild-card membership — even next getting swept by means of the Yankees at house this weekend. 

The AL West membership that comes out victorious on this three-team dash to the end will most likely retain a first-round bye. 

8) Seattle Mariners (77-59, 1st in AL West)
Playoff Projections: 85.4%

A number of the logjam of groups atop the AL West, they’ve the toughest highway forward. They’re the one contenders of their department who’ve to peer the Dodgers and Rays in September. However their destiny shall be determined within the terminating couple of weeks, with their usual season completing with seven video games towards the Rangers and 3 towards the Astros. 

7) Texas Rangers (76-60, AL wild card Negative. 2) 
Playoff Projections: 67.5%

See above. No matter occurs over the then two weeks, seven of the Rangers’ ultimate 10 video games are towards a Mariners workforce they’ll most likely be vying with for a playoff spot. The ones video games will elevate a ton of weight, nevertheless it’ll even be attention-grabbing to peer how aggressive Boston and Cleveland silent are two weeks from now. If each stay within the combine, there gained’t be a lot hour for the Rangers to exhale this life.  

GETTING WILD 

6) Chicago Cubs (73-64, NL wild card Negative. 2)
Playoff Projections: 78%

Then the Phillies, the Cubs have established themselves because the cloudless Negative. 2 within the wild-card race. They only fracture a order with the Reds, however they haven’t misplaced one since Aug. 9 and feature constructed a three-game cushion at the wild-card contenders in the back of them. Then a difficult moment at house towards the Giants and D-backs, they get a stretch of 9 of 12 towards the Rockies and Pirates. That might permit them some respiring room sooner than a frightening ultimate moment towards the Braves and Brewers.  

5) Toronto Blue Jays (75-62, 1.5 video games again of AL wild card) 
Playoff Projections: 52.4%

Abruptly, the Yankees are profitable once more. That might manufacture what appeared to be a reasonably manageable highway forward for the Blue Jays slightly extra sophisticated. Their ultimate 12 video games of the presen are towards the Bronx Bombers and the Rays. These days 1.5 video games again of a playoff spot, the then moment is a a very powerful hour for the Jays to manufacture up field. They’ve 3 video games apiece towards Oakland and Kansas Town sooner than welcoming the Rangers to the town in an attractive four-game i’m ready. 

4) Arizona Diamondbacks (70-67, T-NL wild card Negative. 3) 
Playoff Projections: 33.5%

3) San Francisco Giants (70-67, T-NL wild card Negative. 3) 
Playoff Projections: 48.7%

Now it will get a laugh. 

All 4 of the too much groups in this record have the very same profitable proportion and are most likely preventing for the overall spot within the NL playoffs. Those two NL West golf equipment percentage equivalent information and homogeneous strengths of time table the left-overs of the way in which. They simply have two video games towards each and every alternative too much. How the D-backs fare in seven video games towards the Cubs and the way the Giants carry out in seven extra matchups towards the division-leading Dodgers may just manufacture the too much. 

2) Cincinnati Reds (71-68, T-NL wild card Negative. 3) 
Playoff Projections: 16.1%

It’s been slightly of a aim in recent times in Cincinnati, however don’t depend this workforce out but. Positive, depending on an excess of newbies isn’t a recipe for late-season luck. However next website hosting the Mariners to start out this coming moment, 17 of the Reds’ ultimate 20 video games are towards groups that lately recreation a shedding document. The exception is the Twins. 

1) Miami Marlins (70-67, T-NL wild card Negative. 3)
Playoff Projections: 26.4%

The Marlins took aid of commercial in Washington and now percentage the similar document because the D-backs and Giants. Sadly for the fish, their trail ahead is one of the hardest within the recreation. Their then 4 order are towards the Dodgers, Phillies, Brewers and Braves. If they may be able to live on that gauntlet, although, issues get attention-grabbing. 9 in their ultimate 12 video games are towards the Mets and Pirates.

Rowan Kavner covers the Dodgers and MLB as a complete for FOX Sports activities. He up to now was once the Dodgers’ essayist of virtual and print publications. Practice him on Twitter at @RowanKavner. 

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