There is less than a month left in the MLB regular season, and a run to the World Series in the National League is truly wide open.
The conference as a whole is stacked with talent, and it wasn't until recently that the playoff picture started clearing up. So, which team in the NL currently leads their respective divisions, who would clinch a Wild Card spot as it stands, which team is on the outside looking in, and which team is eliminated from postseason contention?
National League division leaders
Milwaukee Brewers, NL Central: 85-54
Philadelphia Phillies, NL East: 80-58
Los Angeles Dodgers, NL West: 78-60
The current division leaders are built quite differently from one another. The Milwaukee Brewers are comprised of unheralded and lesser-known players, yet they still lead all of baseball in wins. The Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers, meanwhile, boast rosters stacked with superstar talent. It is fair to call both super teams, and no fan should be surprised that they lead their respective divisions.
Christian Yelich is the big-name player in Milwaukee, and he does lead the team with 27 home runs. Williams Contreras, Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, and Freddy Peralta deserve their flowers, too, though. The talent in Philadelphia and Los Angeles is much more recognizable. Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner all play for the Phillies, while Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith suit up for the defending champion Dodgers.
National League Wild Card spots
Chicago Cubs: 80-59
San Diego Padres: 76- 63
New York Mets: 75-64
The teams currently in the Wild Card spots have a sizable lead on those currently in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Chicago Cubs are slated to be a Wild Card team, but they actually have more wins than the NL West-leading Dodgers. Speaking of the Dodgers, the San Diego Padres are right on their tails, as they have been all season long.
The Padres were one of the big winners during the MLB trade deadline, and they'd reap the rewards of being deadline buyers if they manage to surpass the Dodgers. However, San Diego has only won three of their last seven games. The New York Mets have five more wins than the team currently in seventh place in the NL.
In the hunt
Cincinnati Reds: 70-69
San Francisco Giants: 70-69
Arizona Diamondbacks: 69-71
St. Louis Cardinals: 69-71
The Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, and St. Louis Cardinals are all around .500. Each has the talent to get hot and make a push for the postseason, but they might need help from the teams above them in the standings, too. The Reds and Cardinals are both NL Central teams, and the Giants and Diamondbacks are NL West teams.
All but eliminated
Miami Marlins: 65-74
Atlanta Braves: 62-77
Pittsburgh Pirates: 62-77
Washington Nationals: 55-83
Colorado Rockies: 39-100
The Colorado Rockies are the only team statistically eliminated from postseason contention, but it is very unlikely that any of the Miami Marlins, Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, or Washington Nationals would make a playoff push.
The Braves are the most surprising team to be National League bottom dwellers this year, as they came into the season with championship aspirations. The Rockies are in the midst of one of the worst MLB seasons ever. They are no longer on pace for the worst record in the modern era, which was a record set by the Chicago White Sox last season, but they are still going to finish the season with one of the lowest win totals ever.
