MLB postseason picture: Brewers win gets us one step closer to chaos in the NL
The final week of the MLB season is upon us and there are still a few things up in the air for the postseason. Every night between now and the end of the season on Sunday, we’ll bring you an updated look at the MLB postseason picture.
So much of how the National League shakes out is riding on the three-headed monster in the NL Central — the division-leading Chicago Cubs plus current wild-card leaders, the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals.
On Monday night, we got one step closer to chaos.
The Cubs, playing the Pirates, took an L and lost a slight bit of their grasp on the division. Meanwhile, the Brewers beat the Cardinals 6-4 to take the most advantage of the Cubs’ loss.
When everything was done, the Cubs’ lead in the division was cut to just 1.5 games over the Brewers. The Cardinals’ NL Central hopes were definitely hurt. They’re now 4.5 behind the Cubs with an elimination number of two — meaning they could be out of the division race as quickly as Tuesday.
Here’s a look at the rest of the rest of the league after Monday’s action, including which division could be locked up Tuesday and where the wild-card teams sit:
Champagne watch
• Houston Astros: They have a postseason spot clinched, but Houston is still trying to capture the AL West crown. Their Magic Number to do that is two, so it will happen Tuesday with an Astros win and an A’s loss.
State of the MLB playoff races
• NL West: The Rockies and Dodgers each won Monday night, so things remained the same in their race for the division crown. The Dodgers continue to hold onto a 1.5 game lead. This might come down to who flinches. The Dodgers have now won three straight and the Rockies have won four in a row.
• NL Wild Card: The Rockies did gain some ground in the wild-card race, thanks to the Cardinals’ loss to Milwaukee. The Rockies are now a half-game behind St. Louis for the second wild-card spot. The Brewers also now have a three-game lead for the top wild-card spot in the NL.
• AL Wild Card: The A’s punched their postseason ticket Monday night, but there are still some things to figure out. We know it’s the Yankees and the A’s. We just don’t know where they’ll play. Both teams won Monday night, so the Yankees maintain their 1.5 game lead.
Already clinched
• Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox already had the AL East locked up, but with a win Monday night, they also clinched the best record in MLB and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
• Cleveland Indians: They’ve been the AL Central champs for a couple weeks now.
• Atlanta Braves: The Braves secured the NL East crown over the weekend. There’s still a chance they can catch the Cubs for best record in the NL. They’re three wins back.
If the playoffs started today
Wild-card games: A’s at Yankees; Cardinals at Brewers
ALDS: Indians vs. Astros; Wild-card winner vs. Red Sox
NLDS: Dodgers vs. Braves; Wild-card winner vs. Cubs
Tuesday’s must-see game
It’s the Brewers and Cardinals again, since this NL Central showdown could mean so much to the NL as a whole. Milwaukee will send Gio Gonzalez to the mound against St. Louis rookie Austin Gomber. First pitch is at 8:40 p.m. ET.
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Mike Oz is a writer at Yahoo Sports. Contact him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz
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