The Los Angeles Dodgers aren't setting the world afire. They were a modest 15-13 in August and 23-19 since the All-Star Break. But it's more than what would have expected with their ace Clayton Kershaw on the DL for more than two months.
But it's good enough for the Dodgers to have a 1 1/2 game lead in the NL West over the San Francisco Giants who were 11-16 in August and have gone 15-27 since the All-Star Break. Yet don't feel too sorry for the Giants who despite their poor play still have one of the two NL Wild Card berths along with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Redbirds are very much grateful for the Wild Card as they are currently 15 games back of the Chicago Cubs who had their best month of the season going 22-6 in August including a 11-game winning streak to begin the month.
The New York Mets are similarly grateful. While they are 9 games back of the Washington Nationals, they have won 8 of their last 10 games and are only 1 1/2 games back of the Cardinals for the second Wild Card spot. Not bad when you consider the Mets were under .500 as recently as August 20th.
Also in the NL Wild Card hunt are the Pittsburgh Pirates (2 1/2 games back) and the Miami Marlins (3 1/2 games back). However, the Marlins sorely miss Giancarlo Stanton. The Marlins were 10-18 in August and have lost 8 of their last 10 games including five in a row.
Still, the Marlins have a fighting chance. The same cannot be said of the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Diego Padres who have each lost 7 of their last 10, the Milwaukee Brewers who went 10-20 in August and the Cincinnati Reds who have lost four in a row, 8 of their last 10 and are 30 games behind the Cubs in the NL Central.
Yet the Atlanta Braves are happy. Although they still own the worst record in the NL, they no longer own the worst record in MLB. That distinction belongs to the Minnesota Twins who ended August with 13 consecutive losses and are 27 1/2 back of the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central.
The Tribe has a 4 1/2 and 7 1/2 game lead on the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals. The Tigers are currently tied with the Baltimore Orioles for the second AL Wild Card spot while the defending World Series champions had a strong August with a 20-9 record after ending July losing 8 of their final 10 games. The Royals are only 3 1/2 half back of the second AL Wild Card spot with the Seattle Mariners (4 games back), New York Yankees (2 1/2 games back) and the Houston Astros (1 game back). The Boston Red Sox currently own the first seed in the AL Wild Card and are only two games back of the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East.
Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers have the biggest lead in the AL with an 8 1/2 and 11 1/2 games leads on the Astros and Mariners, respectively in the Western Division. After falling behind the Mariners, the Astros finished August winning 8 of their last 10. The Mariners have gone in the opposite direction. The M's began August 14-6 and were 6 1/2 back of the Rangers as recently as August 20th. But losing 8 of their 10 has put them back in third place in the AL West.
I will keep you posted on the post-season picture as teams clinch divisions or wild card berths. Now the real fun begins.
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