The MLB postseason race is heating up. The month of August is two weeks away from being complete, and we will soon see the stretch run of the 2025 season. The year has been a treat so far, but it's becoming clearer as to who the true playoff contenders are as the season winds down.
But contending teams aren't the only thing that make a playoff race interesting. Some teams that are out of contention could play the role of spoiler. By beating contenders, they can impact the race. Here are four teams that could do just that despite not having playoff dreams of their own.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
4. Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles went to the postseason in 2023 and 2024, but were swept both times. They failed to re-sign Corbin Burnes last offseason, and their pitching staff promptly collapsed. However, they can still play spoiler down the stretch.
They have won six of their last 10 games and still have a young core that features stars like Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg, plus former top prospects such as Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo who are ready to make their mark.
With some renewed youth, Baltimore could be a very interesting team to watch down the stretch in 2025.
3. Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are another team that has disappointed this season. They lost Max Fried and Charlie Morton and their pitching staff also fell apart. Their only free-agent addition was Jurickson Profar, who almost immediately received an 80-game PED suspension after signing a three-year, $42 million contract with the team.
But it's important to remember that while the Braves fell out of contention this year, they actually didn't sell at the trade deadline. One could make a strong case that they should have sold, but they still have most of their team intact. They have also won five games in a row.
While their playoff hopes are no longer intact, teams out of contention can be rejuvenated late in the season. Just ask the Detroit Tigers after their second-half run last year. Atlanta still has stars such as Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Ronald Acuna Jr., Spencer Strider and Sean Murphy. On paper, it's still a very solid club that has just had a disappointing year and could very easily bounce back into the race in 2026.
We'll see if the Braves can keep winning games and impact the playoff race in some way.
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks have lost three games in a row and are five games below the .500 mark at 60-65. Unlike the Braves, they were true sellers at the trade deadline after previously stating that they wouldn't be.
But they still have some very talented players on their roster. Corbin Carroll, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte, Zac Gallen and others could give this team a bit of a push down the stretch as they look to impact the playoff race.
They aren't a bad team on paper by any means, but they have been dealt some tough blows with Corbin Burnes needing Tommy John surgery. Still, you can't count Arizona out: They have two teams in their division, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, battling it out for the NL West title. If Arizona can play a little spoiler on either one of those teams, it could go a long way in terms of impacting the postseason race and determining who ultimately comes out on top in the division.
Time will tell if they can piece something together and play a role in determining those two teams' fates in the coming weeks.
1. St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals were a true seller at the trade deadline, sending rental relievers Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton and Steven Matz to contending clubs. As such, they are sinking like a stone in the standings; St. Louis is now 61-64 and has lost five consecutive games after being swept at home by the New York Yankees over the weekend.
But they do have some games against contending teams coming up. They'll finish the month of August playing against the Cincinnati Reds, a team fighting for a Wild Card spot. They'll play the Milwaukee Brewers twice in September, then will face the Seattle Mariners and the Reds one more time before closing out the regular season against the Chicago Cubs.
There are going to be plenty of opportunities for St. Louis to play some spoiler. They didn't have a fire sale and still have players such as Sonny Gray, Brendan Donovan, Ivan Herrera, Masyn Winn and Willson Contreras on the roster. It's also not a stretch to assume they could promote top prospect J.J. Wetherholt to the Major Leagues before the season reaches its end.
John Mozeliak will be stepping down in favor of Chaim Bloom at the end of the year, but Mozeliak's tenure could end on a better note if the Cardinals play some spoiler.