We've reached the final stretch run of the MLB regular season. Only a couple of weeks remain, meaning we're extremely close to figuring out which 12 teams will appear in the postseason.
Ultimately, what decides the final postseason spots could be the remaining strengths of schedule. Those battling for postseason spots with really tough schedules down the stretch are less likely to go on a run than a team that gets to beat up on bad competition. That might not seem fair, but it's just the reality.
With that in mind, let's take a look at which teams are best set up to go on a final push thanks to easy schedules.
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MLB standings based on remaining strength of schedule
AL East
Rank | Team | Remaining Strength of Schedule (Rank) | Current Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | New York Yankees | .438 (30th) | 83-66 |
2 | Baltimore Orioles | .501 (13th) | 69-80 |
3 | Toronto Blue Jays | .505 (11th) | 87-62 |
4 | Boston Red Sox | .527 (7th) | 82-68 |
5 | Tampa Bay Rays | .547 (3rd) | 73-76 |
The Toronto Blue Jays have taken a fairly commanding 4.0 game lead in the AL East, and since they have the tiebreaker over the New York Yankees, their lead is basically 5.0 games. The gap right now is looking crucial, as the Yankees have MLB's easiest schedule down the stretch while the Jays have a couple of tough series left. The division is clearly Toronto's to lose, but considering New York's schedule, it isn't completely over yet.
AL Central
Rank | Team | Remaining Strength of Schedule (Rank) | Current Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Chicago White Sox | .496 (18th) | 57-93 |
2 | Detroit Tigers | .509 (10th) | 85-65 |
3 | Kansas City Royals | .514 (9th) | 75-75 |
4 | Cleveland Guardians | .517 (8th) | 78-71 |
5 | Minnesota Twins | .548 (2nd) | 65-84 |
The AL Central is pretty fascinating. The Detroit Tigers do have a commanding 6.5-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central, but Cleveland still has six games to go against Detroit. If they can win five or six of those games, which I get is a big if, things become very interesting in the division. As for the Wild Card, both the Guardians and the Kansas City Royals are alive, but challenging schedules down the stretch make their path difficult.
AL West
Rank | Team | Remaining Strength of Schedule (Rank) | Current Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Seattle Mariners | .469 (26th) | 82-68 |
2 | Los Angeles Angels | .480 (24th) | 69-81 |
3 | Texas Rangers | .492 (21st) | 79-71 |
4 | Houston Astros | .500 (15th) | 81-69 |
5 | Athletics | .505 (12th) | 70-80 |
The Seattle Mariners have won nine in a row, allowing them to claim first place in the AL West. And with the easiest remaining schedule in the AL West, the stars are aligning for them to run away with the division. The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers shouldn't be discounted completely though, as the Astros still have a series to be played against Seattle and the Rangers have a sub-.500 remaining strength of schedule.
NL East
Rank | Team | Remaining Strength of Schedule (Rank) | Current Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Washington Nationals | .445 (29th) | 62-87 |
2 | Atlanta Braves | .455 (28th) | 66-83 |
3 | Miami Marlins | .477 (25th) | 70-80 |
4 | Philadelphia Phillies | .492 (22nd) | 89-61 |
5 | New York Mets | .500 (14th) | 77-73 |
The New York Mets are the only team really playing for anything in the NL East down the stretch, as the Philadelphia Phillies are on the verge of locking up the division and the other three teams are out of contention. New York's schedule is far from easy as they hope to clinch a Wild Card berth, but with matchups against juggernauts at the beginning of the month in the rearview mirror, they've certainly got a good shot to make the playoffs despite their poor play.
NL Central
Rank | Team | Remaining Strength of Schedule | Current Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Chicago Cubs | .484 (23rd) | 85-64 |
2 | Pittsburgh Pirates | .494 (20th) | 65-85 |
3 | Milwaukee Brewers | .497 (17th) | 91-69 |
4 | Cincinnati Reds | .528 (6th) | 74-75 |
5 | St. Louis Cardinals | .544 (4th) | 73-77 |
The Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs are likely to lock up the NL Central and a Wild Card spot, respectively, but the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals are hoping to make unlikely pushes for the final Wild Card spot in the NL. It'd be foolish to rule either club out completely, given they've been able to remain in the hunt this long, but with two of the hardest remaining schedules in the sport, it'll be really tough for them to get in.
NL West
Rank | Team | Remaining Strength of Schedule | Current Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | San Francisco Giants | .464 (27th) | 75-74 |
2 | Colorado Rockies | .494 (19th) | 41-109 |
3 | San Diego Padres | .500 (16th) | 82-68 |
4 | Los Angeles Dodgers | .533 (5th) | 84-65 |
5 | Arizona Diamondbacks | .552 (1st) | 75-75 |
The biggest threat to the Mets right now is the San Francisco Giants, both when looking at the standings and the remaining strength of schedule. With that being said, having a series against the lowly Colorado Rockies drastically impacts their strength of schedule. Three of their four remaining series are against teams in the NL postseason hunt, with that Rockies matchup serving as the lone exception. It certainly helps having those three games, but it's far from a given that the Giants finish above .500 in their other 10 games, which could cost them.
Another race to monitor is the NL West division race. The Giants are out of that, but the Los Angeles Dodgers' lead over the San Diego Padres is only at 2.5 games. With one of the hardest schedules remaining, who's to say they'll be able to wrap that up?