MLB: Predicting September playoff races in each division

Aug 29, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starter Jon Lester (31) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 29, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starter Jon Lester (31) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 9
Next
Aug 29, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper (34) hits a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the eighth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 29, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper (34) hits a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the eighth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

NL East

Current leader: Washington Nationals
Bet on ’em to win: Nationals

Rationale: The Nationals are having the type of season many expected the team to have in 2013, before injuries wrecked Washington’s hopes. The team has six games remaining against the Atlanta Braves, who aren’t dead yet for the division (three at home for each team) and a three-game set against the Dodgers to open the month, but other than those games, it’s fairly smooth sailing for rookie Manager Matt Williams’s crew.

The Nationals have a superstar in Bryce Harper, though he’s battled injuries this year, but the real key to Washington’s dominance will be its starting rotation: everyone probably knows Steven Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmerman, and offseason acquisition Doug Fister is possibly having his finest season yet, but the unsung Tanner Roak is dealing (2.81 ERA in 166.2 IP).

The Braves’s starting pitching hasn’t been bad, but Atlanta will need Mike Minor to continue his recent resurgence (at least seven innings pitched in his last three starts, Atlanta has won all three games) to have any sort of shot at making up a seven-game deficit in the standings to Washington.