9/25: Postseason Picture

As the season winds down, more teams have clinched Postseason berths. After the Oakland A’s were the first to clinch a division, the Tampa Bay Rays clinched the top spot in the AL East after defeating the New York Mets on Wednesday night. In the NL, both the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers have won their division. The Dodgers have the best record in all of baseball, at 40-17. However, the AL Central and the NL Central have yet to have a team clinch. Although the Twins are atop the AL Central, they only lead by a game over the Chicago White Sox. The Cleveland Indians are also vying for the top spot, as they are two games behind the Twins. All three teams have clinched a Postseason berth, as the expanded playoffs have afforded more teams opportunities. In the NL Central, the Chicago Cubs are leading the charge. Although they haven’t clinched the Central, it appears like they will win the division without much trouble. The St. Louis Cardinals are the second place team, and they are two and a half games behind Chicago. In the AL Wild Card picture, the Cleveland Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays clinched Postseason spots. The NL picture is much more complex, as the Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants are merely hanging on the Wild Card lead by a thread. The Philadelphia Phillies and the Milwaukee Brewers are just a game and game and a half behind respectively, and the New York Mets at three games behind could potentially make things interesting. This 2020 season has brought upon new rules and regulations, and the expanded playoffs are proving to make the game all the more intriguing.

“As more teams clinch Postseason berths, the expanded playoffs are proving to invoke more fan interest. ”