NL Wild Card standings: Brewers stop slide, but no changes
By Ed Carroll
As we enter the final full week of the MLB regular season, the American League playoff hunt is filled with drama, while the National League playoffs appear all but set.
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Only two teams have clinched a playoff spot in the NL: the Washington Nationals clinched the NL East, and the Los Angeles Dodgers will at least make the postseason; the Dodgers lead the San Francisco Giants by three-and-a-half games in the NL West. Here’s your NL Wild Card standings for Sunday, September 21.
The Milwaukee Brewers owned the best record in baseball at one point this season, but a late-season slide has put their chances of returning to the postseason in serious jeopardy. The Brewers have been eliminated for the NL Central crown; the St. Louis Cardinals lead the Pittsburgh Pirates by three-and-a-half games for the division.
The Brewers haven’t had a winning record in a month after the all-star break; in July, Milwaukee went 9-16, in August, the team went 13-14, and in September, the Brewers have managed just six wins, while losing 12. The Brew Crew stopped the free fall, at least briefly, with a 1-0 win over the Pirates on Saturday night, and are now three-and-a-half games behind the Pirates for the second Wild Card birth.
The Atlanta Braves are another team falling completely apart down the stretch, as the Braves remain under .500 with a 4-2 loss at home against the non-contending New York Mets. Atlanta is the only other eligible team for the NL playoffs, and they pretty much need to win out to have a shot at a Wild Card birth; the Braves trail the Pirates by seven games.
The Giants lost at San Diego against the Padres, 3-2, but remain a game ahead of the Pirates for hosting the Wild Card game.
NL Wild Card standings:
San Francisco Giants: 84-70, +1.0
Pittsburgh Pirates: 83-71, 1.0 GB
Milwaukee Brewers, 80-75, 3.5 GB (elimination number: 5)
Atlanta Braves, 76-78, 7 GB (elimination number: 2)
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