Welcome to September! Ranking every MLB playoff race — SkimNews
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- Brewers, Braves, and Dodgers are battling for the NL's top two seeds, with the third-place finisher sent to a best-of-three wild-card series where higher seeds have gone just 7-9 since the 2022 format began.
- Los Angeles Dodgers have gone 2-14 against winning teams since the end of July, losing all five series played, with their offense ranking 21st in MLB in OPS during August and averaging just 2.9 runs per game in those contests.
- Chicago White Sox hold a three-game AL Central lead over the Cleveland Guardians despite FanGraphs giving them just 0.5% odds in the preseason, attempting to become the first team ever to win a division title the year after losing 100 games (they lost a modern-record 121 in 2024).
- White Sox rotation posted a 6.21 ERA in August, third-worst in MLB behind only the Athletics and Rockies, yet the team went 14-14 in the month; trade acquisition Luis Castillo is 1-1 with a 6.45 ERA in five starts, allowing seven homers in 22⅓ innings.
- Tampa Bay Rays extended their AL East lead from 2.5 to 4.5 games with an 18-10 August that included a franchise-first 9-0 road trip, with starters leading MLB in lowest walk rate (6.35 SO/BB ratio) and ranking sixth in strikeout rate.
- New York Yankees rotation posted a 2.80 ERA in August (third-best in MLB, behind the Angels and Marlins) but the offense ranks 19th in runs scored, with the division race potentially hinging on Aaron Judge's return, projected for the second week of September.
- Atlanta Braves' lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East shrunk from 9.5 games on Aug. 12 to four games; seven games remain between them, with the Phillies going 51-30 against sub-.500 teams but 27-30 against .500-or-better clubs.
Why it matters: The White Sox are trying to become the first team ever to win a division the year after losing 100 games — they entered at 0.5% preseason odds. The Dodgers, Braves, and Brewers race for two NL byes; the loser faces a wild-card series where higher seeds are 7-9 since 2022. The Phillies are 51-30 vs. losing teams but just 27-30 against .500-or-better clubs with seven games left vs. Atlanta.
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