As the MLB playoffs inch closer, so too does the end of the line for more than half of MLB teams for the 2024 season. We are already approaching mid-September which means postseason races are coming down to the wire with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
It’s hard to fathom how quickly the 2024 MLB season has gone by, but the most exciting time of year for baseball fans is almost here. There is nothing quite like October baseball and if this year’s regular season is any indication, we’re in for quite a treat for the postseason.
Before we get there, five or six series remain for each team. Some will mean more than others, but rest assured there will be plenty of entertainment throughout the closing stages of the MLB regular season. Records are on the precipice of being set and playoff berths are on the horizon. Celebrations are soon to be bountiful.
The Dodgers remain at No. 1 in our latest MLB Power Rankings for the third consecutive week. There’s a tight race behind them for the best record in baseball, one of several races that will determine home-field advantage and postseason seeding. Where does your team land in this week’s power rankings?
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (no change)
With all the focus on Shohei Ohtani’s 50/50 chase, Mookie Betts has quietly put together a stellar four-week stretch that matches the greatness of his teammate. Betts is hitting .309 with a .964 OPS, seven doubles, six home runs and 23 RBIs in 25 games since returning from the injured list. He has a hit in eight straight with only five strikeouts in that span.
The Dodgers are the only team with a winning percentage above .600. They own the smallest division lead in the National League. Still, LA has the inside lane, albeit a slim one, to home-field advantage throughout the MLB playoffs with three weeks left in the regular season.
2. Philadelphia Phillies (no change)
The Phillies’ hottest hitter resides atop the lineup. Kyle Schwarber demolished four home runs in a 24-hour span in Toronto last week, helping the Phils win both games of a short series against the Blue Jays. Schwarber has scored nine times and drove in 11 runs in the last seven games.
Philadelphia’s pitching staff labored through the weekend, allowing 19 runs to the Marlins in two losses Saturday and Sunday. The Phillies could put the division away with a series win over the Mets this week. The two NL East rivals meet seven times in September.
3. New York Yankees (+1)
The Yankees lead the league with 213 home runs but have only four in September. Aaron Judge didn’t hit one of the four and hasn’t homered since Aug. 25. Still, he is the preeminent favorite for the AL MVP and could push 60 with a hot week.
Yankees pitching played the starring role in a weekend series win over the Cubs. New York won two games via shutout before a tough 2-1 loss Sunday despite a gem from Gerrit Cole. Luis Gil looked phenomenal in his return from the injured list, striking out seven while allowing only one hit across six shutout innings Friday.
4. Milwaukee Brewers (-1)
Two series losses last week decreased Milwaukee’s chances of a first-round bye in the National League playoffs. The Brewers trail the Phillies by three games for the second seed. The two have a series in Milwaukee next week.
Brewers pitching has been outstanding this month, posting a 2.63 ERA and a .204 opponents batting average. The lineup has gone stagnant with a .169 batting average in September. Milwaukee is 2-5 this month but maintains a nine-game lead in the NL Central.
5. Baltimore Orioles (no change)
Another offense that struggled over the weekend was that of the Orioles. Baltimore scraped together three runs in a series loss to the Rays as the teams traded 2-0 shutout wins with a 7-1 Tampa Bay victory sandwiched between.
The Orioles haven’t won consecutive series against teams with a winning record since mid-June. The schedule has given them opportunities and the O’s are showing inconsistency against good teams. Finishing the regular season strong and capturing the division is within grasp for Baltimore, but there’s some doubt they can hang with the big boys in October.
6. Cleveland Guardians (+1)
The Guardians tried to open a gap in the AL Central and did so briefly with a series win over the Royals early last week. Then the Guards ran into the Dodgers and the Royals swept the Twins, reducing Cleveland’s lead in the division to 2 1/2 games.
A date with the White Sox this week offers another chance to pull away. Cleveland is also still in the mix for the No. 1 seed in the American League, trailing New York by one game entering Monday.
7. Houston Astros (+1)
The Astros showed some vulnerability last week as they were swept by the Reds before taking two of three against the Diamondbacks. Series with the Athletics and Angels this week should get them back on track as they move closer to their seventh division title in eight years.
There is growing concern around Justin Verlander after the future Hall of Famer lasted only three innings Sunday night. He allowed eight runs, pushing his season ERA to 5.30 in 14 starts. There is no guarantee the 41-year-old will pitch for Houston in the MLB playoffs.
8. Arizona Diamondbacks (-2)
The backend of Arizona’s rotation continues to be a problem. The D-backs pitching staff overall has been atrocious in September, ranking last with a 6.78 ERA. Opponents are hitting over .300 off Arizona’s arms in eight games this month.
The good news is Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly got some mojo back with consecutive quality starts against the Giants. Gallen tossed six hitless innings Wednesday, while Kelly fanned eight batters across seven innings Thursday in a 3-2 loss.
9. San Diego Padres (no change)
The Padres again were unable to win a series against the Giants, a team San Diego can’t seem to crack this season. The Giants did the Pads no favors either with a series loss to the D-backs preceding their triumph over San Diego.
The Padres are clinging to a half-game lead for the top Wild Card spot in the National League. They and the Diamondbacks continue to jockey for position in what is a crucial race to determine who will host a Wild Card Series. It could be a matchup between the NL West foes.
10. Kansas City Royals (+1)
Kansas City rode spectacular pitching to four straight wins to close the week. The Royals were able to avoid the sweep against the Guardians before bringing out the brooms on the Twins over the weekend. Kansas City tossed a pair of shutouts in the series and allowed three runs over their last four games.
The Royals have built a five-game gap in the Wild Card standings entering a big “prove-it” series against the Yankees. Kansas City will ask to rely on its pitching again with the offense desperate to score runs. The Royals averaged 2.7 runs per game across their last 10.
11. New York Mets (+1)
The Mets were seven outs away from their 10th straight victory Sunday before the Reds issued a late rally to avoid the sweep. Still, New York carries momentum into a crucial week highlighted by a series with the Phillies.
The Mets and Braves are deadlocked for the final Wild Card position in the NL. It might be the MLB’s most intriguing postseason race. It’s not far-fetched to say the Mets have the edge as it stands.
12. Atlanta Braves (-2)
If the Braves are going to clinch a playoff berth it’s going to be because of their pitching staff. Atlanta’s pitchers have a 1.63 ERA in seven September games, striking out nearly 12 batters per.
The week was capped by another brilliant outing from Chris Sale. The NL Cy Young Award frontrunner struck out seven across six scoreless innings in a Braves walk-off win Sunday. He’s allowed two or fewer earned runs in 16 consecutive starts.
13. Minnesota Twins (no change)
It’s been a rough start to the month for the Twins as the offense struggles without Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton. Minnesota has 20 runs in eight games in September, sporting a 3-5 record with it after a three-game sweep at the hands of the Twins.
That series loss dropped the Twins into the third Wild Card spot in the AL with a 3 1/2-game cushion to work with. This week could be a get-right week for Minnesota with the Angels and Reds coming to town.
14. Chicago Cubs (no change)
There was good and bad for the Cubs last week, all of which was highlighted by a combined no-hitter against the Pirates Wednesday night. It was the first Cubs no-no at Wrigley Field since 1972.
Chicago’s bats went ice cold, leading to series losses at home to the Pirates and Yankees. The Cubs lost ground in the Wild Card standings and face a tough five-game deficit with three weeks left. Four of their remaining series are against teams with a losing record, though they meet the Dodgers for three games beginning Monday.
15. Detroit Tigers (no change)
Not only do the Tigers have a chance to post a winning record for the first time since 2016, but Detroit has a shot at sneaking into the MLB postseason. The Tigers trail the Twins by 3 1/2 games for the final playoff berth in the American League.
Detroit is sticking to having a few openers to pair with the dominance of Tarik Skubal. The Tigers also welcomed back Casey Mize from the injured list and expect him to be a key factor down the stretch. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick scattered three runs and six hits across 5 1/3 innings against the Padres his last time out.
16. Seattle Mariners (+2)
Winners of four of their last five, the Mariners are staying in the playoff race even if it’s by the hair of their chin. Seattle is even with Detroit and trails Houston by 4 1/2 games in the division with 18 games remaining.
The Mariners’ offense is producing when it matters and could be in for a breakout at the right time. Only the D-backs have scored more runs in September so far. Seattle benefits from a heavy home schedule to close the season too with 12 games left at T-Mobile Park.
17. Boston Red Sox (-1)
It’s hard to win when you can’t score runs and few teams have failed to score more than the Red Sox this month. Only the NL-worst Rockies have plated fewer runs than Boston’s 19 in seven September games. Outside of a seven-run output in Saturday’s win over the White Sox, the Red Sox failed to score more than three runs in game in nine of their last 11 games.
Seven games with the Orioles and Yankees will likely make or break the remainder of the Sox’s season. Boston is 32-51 against teams with a winning record this season, the worst mark among MLB teams currently above .500.
18. St. Louis Cardinals (-1)
The Cards won’t see playoff baseball this season but they are at least on track to finish with a winning record. St. Louis is teetering toward being mediocre with consecutive seasons without a postseason berth, a trend not akin to a city used to winning baseball.
The Cardinals have the worst run differential of any MLB team with a winning record. Only the 54-win Marlins have scored fewer runs than them in the National League. At least Paul Goldschmidt is finally starting to produce. Five of his last nine hits went for extra bases.
19. Tampa Bay Rays (+1)
The Rays could end up playing spoiler for a couple of playoff-bound teams fighting for seeding and division titles. That’s already begun with a series win over the Orioles after splitting four games with the Twins. They continue with dates against the Phillies and Guardians this week.
Tampa Bay limited Baltimore to three runs in their three-game series, the O’s fewest in a series since being held to two runs against the Cubs in mid-July. The Rays are trying to keep their consecutive winning season streak alive. Great pitching will go a long way in achieving that.
20. Texas Rangers (+3)
The Rangers have quietly won four series in a row to give them some hope of a miracle playoff run. Sitting 6 1/2 games back with three weeks left, it doesn’t seem likely they’ll have a chance to defend their title.
Texas can close out the year strong and look forward to a bounceback 2025. The returns of Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer are coming which should give the Rangers a boost in their quest to finish above .500. They’re 70-74 with 18 games to play.
21. San Francisco Giants (-2)
The Giants made headlines last week with the announcement of a six-year contract extension for third baseman Matt Chapman. Chapman has been San Francisco’s most productive player this season and is now locked in as a franchise cornerstone.
Another season without postseason baseball could lead to front office changes. Regardless, it can’t be more of the same for the Giants in 2025. Building a sustainable roster is key to consistent success in MLB. San Fran hopes to have begun that with the Chapman signing.
22. Cincinnati Reds (no change)
Cincinnati ripped off four straight wins to begin September, including a three-game sweep of the Astros. The Reds have a lofty hill to climb to finish above .500 and they don’t have the easiest remaining schedule. It’s hard to see 12 wins in the final 18 games for Cincy.
Injuries hurt any sort of momentum the Reds could have gained in the second half. Jonathan India left Sunday’s game with left elbow discomfort, the latest Cincinnati player to go down with an ailment.
23. Toronto Blue Jays (-2)
Toronto met with a pair of NL East teams last week as the Blue Jays dropped series to the Phillies and Braves. The Jays led in three of the four games they lost, all by a combined margin of six runs, none more than two.
It remains to be seen if Toronto will make changes to its leadership positions. Fans certainly seem to have made up their mind. It will be an important offseason for the Blue Jays, one with plenty to evaluate for the franchise’s immediate and long-term future.
24. Pittsburgh Pirates (no change)
One of the worst second-half teams, the Pirates are just sputtering along to close the season having lost steam not too deep into August. Pittsburgh is 19-28 since the All-Star break and is on the verge of finishing last in the NL Central for the fourth time in six years.
Only two or three starts are remaining in Paul Skenes’ rookie year. Pirates fans will always remember where they were when the rookie sensation made his MLB debut. He parlayed that into a likely top-two finish in NL Rookie of the Year Award voting and a top-three finish in Cy Young Award voting at minimum. Skenes takes the mound Monday against the Marlins.
25. Washington Nationals (no change)
The Nats began September with a blowout loss to the Cubs then split six games with the Marlins and Pirates. Washington’s pitching staff has a 6.31 ERA in seven games this month, the second-worst mark in baseball.
The lone bright spot has been MacKenzie Gore, who delivered his third consecutive quality start last Wednesday against the Marlins. He struck out nine while allowing only one run on one hit. He’ll look to build off that and finish the season impressively.
26. Oakland Athletics (no change)
Oakland has played several close games over the past few weeks with mixed results. It’s preparing the A’s for a potential situation next season where they are in the mix at some point in the second half. It might be a far cry but they’ve played well since the All-Star break and a better first half next year could set up for a successful summer.
Of course, there are a lot of hurdles for the A’s to jump through, but there are building blocks for the franchise’s future. Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler look like true ballers and look to be the star attractions of the team’s move to Sacramento.
27. Los Angeles Angels (no change)
Shohei Ohtani made his return to Angel Stadium last week for the first time as a Dodger. He continued his quest for MLB history while receiving a huge standing ovation from the Angels faithful. That may be the last thing they can look forward to watching at home this season.
The Angels are on pace to finish with their worst home record in 30 years. LA is currently 30-42 at Angel Stadium with nine home games remaining. The Angels might also finish in last place for the first time since 1999. They trail the A’s by 2 1/2 games for fourth place in the AL West.
28. Miami Marlins (no change)
The Marlins offense exploded for 19 runs in two wins over the Phillies during the weekend. Miami has four hitters batting above .300 in September (minimum 20 at-bats).
In the battle for the National League basement, the Marlins lead the Rockies by a half-game in the loss column. Miami’s remaining schedule is pretty light for average standards, but the Marlins are well below the average MLB standard. They could still lose 100 games.
29. Colorado Rockies (no change)
The Rockies will clinch their third straight last-place finish in the NL West this week as they approach another 100-loss season. Colorado is on pace to lose 102, one shy of the franchise-worst 103 set last season.
The Rockies won only their third road series of 2024 this past weekend in Milwaukee. Strong starting pitching led the way, including a quality start from Kyle Freeland Sunday to clinch the series.
30. Chicago White Sox (no change)
The White Sox and their interim manager showed some fire last week. Chicago avoided sweeps to the Orioles and Red Sox by winning the series finales. Grady Sizemore was ejected for the first time as a manager last Tuesday. The White Sox won two of four since.
Keeping with our theme of discussing the Bears in our White Sox excerpt, how about that defense? At least Chicago fans have something to cheer about, although avoiding 120 losses (which seems unlikely) would be worth celebrating too.
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