Who’s a team to worry about, and who’s dreaming? Let’s take an in depth look into this year’s contenders and pretenders before October rolls around.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers wrapped up the NL West last Tuesday night even with over twenty games left in the regular season. The Dodgers have won nine of the previous ten NL West titles. They hope to validate their dominance in the NL and throughout all of baseball by winning another title, two years after their last championship during a COVID stricken year.

Verdict: Contenders

Houston Astros

If Verlander shows any resemblance of what he was before his injury, then the Astros have a 1-2 punch in the postseason, which is as good as anyone, aside from the Mets. Framber Valdez has pitched so well this season, giving manager Dusty baker more faith in him. He has pitched an AL leading 179 2/3 innings and only allowed 9 home runs during that span; an unprecedented run.

Verdict: Contenders

Cleveland Guardians

Despite being 3.5 games up in the AL Central division the newly named Guardians are far and away the third seed in the American League, although playing in its weakest division. Despite having the player who is currently third in MVP voting, there is a sense of a gap still between them and others at the top.

Verdict: Pretenders

New York Yankees

Everyone is focused on Aaron Judge’s home run chase but the Yankees’s main focus is to win the World Series, something the club hasn’t accomplished since 2009. The Yankees, after being out ahead of the pack for most of the season, entered a slump in late August and haven’t looked the same since. If this team turns recent trends around and stays healthy, they are a tough out in the playoffs.

Verdict: Contenders

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners have the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports. The last time they made the playoffs was 2001, their 116-win season. Julio Rodríguez, their star player, was an infant. At the deadline, the Mariners went out and got the best pitcher available, however there are still holes in this roster compared to the other powerhouse teams. Like others, though, if they get hot down the stretch they are definitely a team to watch out for.

Verdict: Twinner

Atlanta Braves

The Braves have been chasing the Mets since early April and were as many as 10 1/2 games back on June 1st. However since then, the Braves have caught fire going 25-10, and the Mets have played around .500 baseball. As of September 18th, the Mets lead the NL East by a game. The Braves caught fire after the wild-card game last year and won the World Series after having the worst regular season record to make the playoffs. Could they continue this run in the postseason? I think there’s definitely a good chance.

Verdict: Contenders

Toronto Blue Jays

If the Yankees did not get off to the start they did and put the division out of reach, the Blue Jays may be the most feared team in the AL. There’s no doubt, though, that they’re well-positioned right now. And it’s a good thing because for all the excitement about the young talent on this team, and especially all the spending the front office has done, they still haven’t won a playoff game since 2016. And this was when José Bautista and Edwin Encarnación were the stars of the team. However, I do miss playoff games in Toronto.

Verdict: Contenders

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays last season won over 100 games and without a doubt looked like one of the best teams in the league. However this season, they are in the wild card as the second seed. They aren’t as good as they were a year ago, but still have their reliable pitching. But could they overcome how potent the other teams in the American League are offensively? Or will this be too much for this stellar pitching room?

Verdict: Pretenders

San Diego Padres

The Padres were the most aggressive team at the deadline by adding Juan Soto, without a doubt. And up until Fernando Tatis, Jr. got suspended for eighty games plus the postseason, many believed that the Padres were big time contenders to win the World Series. Since the deadline, however, the Padres have looked like anything but the winners many proclaimed they would be on deadline day. Hader doesn’t look as good as he did in Milwaukee, and many believed he would shine in San Diego as well. Tatis, Jr. has been suspended and that potent lineup of him, Machado and Soto did not even play a week together.

Verdict: Pretenders

St. Louis Cardinals

For a team with as much playoff history as the St. Louis Cardinals, you’d expect them to always be in the mix come October. The Cardinals have an eight game lead in the NL Central with two weeks left in the season. The main storyline in St. Louis, however, is Albert Pujols’s chase for 700 home runs. I think it’s possible the Cardinals anticipate Albert gets to 700 before the playoffs, so this is wouldn’t be something hovering over their goal as a team. Especially with such high expectations always surrounding the organization as a whole.

Verdict: Contenders