MLB standings by remaining strength of schedule: Braves, Cubs face tough road

We're a week past the MLB trade deadline, yet 24 of the 30 teams are still within 6.0 games of a playoff spot, speaking to how tight things are in the MLB standings. One thing that could be a determining factor in close races could be the remaining strength of schedule.

Odds are, if your remaining games are against weaker competition, it'll be easier to stack wins together, and vice versa. With that in mind, let's take a look at which teams stand to benefit from their upcoming schedules and which will need to play extremely well against tough competition.

AL East standings by strength of schedule

Any Baltimore Orioles fan hoping to see this team magically make the playoffs even after trading Adley Rutschman at the trade deadline, will need to really keep their fingers crossed, as not only do they have the toughest remaining strength of schedule in the AL East, but they have the toughest remaining schedule in the entire American League by a fairly wide margin. On the flip side, while the New York Yankees haven't played their best, having the easiest strength of schedule in the division keeps their division hopes (5.5 GB) alive.

AL Central standings by strength of schedule

The Detroit Tigers are finding ways to win even without Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, but their road to October projects to be a tough one, with the hardest remaining schedule in the AL Central and the third-hardest in the AL as a whole. They certainly can beat good teams (they've gone 31-28 against teams at or above .500 this season), but they'll have to do so without arguably their two best pitchers. That'll be easier said than done.

AL West standings by strength of schedule

Every team within the AL West has a top-11 remaining strength of schedule, which makes sense, as these teams, as part of MLB's worst division, will play each other a lot down the stretch. The Texas Rangers, Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners are the teams battling for first place, yet their remaining strengths of schedule are virtually the same. That should only make following this close divisional race even more interesting.

NL East standings by strength of schedule

The New York Mets have the hardest remaining strength of schedule in the NL East, but that's fairly irrelevant with them out of postseason contention. The interesting teams are the ones bunched in the middle: the Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Braves have firm control of the NL East, but their remaining schedule could make it tough for them to earn the elusive first-round bye. The Marlins hope to remain in the Wild Card hunt, but their schedule can make that tough, and the same goes for the Phillies. Perhaps the Washington Nationals, the team with the second-easiest strength of schedule in the NL, can go on an unlikely run in the Wild Card race? Crazier things have happened.

NL Central standings by strength of schedule

The NL Central has been MLB's most competitive division all year, so it's no surprise that the teams within this division have some of the hardest remaining schedules. The Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs, in particular, have the two hardest remaining schedules in the majors. This isn't the end of the world for the Cubs, who have a cushion in the NL Wild Card hunt (and can still win the NL Central by playing very well against the Brewers), but the Reds could be in big trouble. They've played pretty well since the All-Star break, but are already behind the pack in the Wild Card race. Having to face a gauntlet of a schedule down the stretch makes it much less likely they go on a magical run.

NL West standings by strength of schedule

As if adding Tarik Skubal to this roster wasn't enough, the Los Angeles Dodgers have the easiest remaining strength of schedule in the NL. They've been struggling lately, but the teams they've struggled against (Red Sox, Cubs, Diamondbacks) are all in postseason spots. The Dodgers having an easy schedule could allow them to beat up on the weaker teams and give them a shot at earning a first-round bye, making their road to a three-peat that much clearer.

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