3 Braves rivals that should be most terrified by Atlanta’s late-August run

The Atlanta Braves scored nine runs in two innings before the rains came in and delayed their contest with the Minnesota Twins on Monday night. Play resumed after an hour and a half of stoppage, and the Braves won 10-6. They have now won seven of their last ten.

Getting hot at the right time is critical when playing baseball in October. The way the Major League Baseball playoffs work allows more teams to have a bite at the apple and contend for a championship. In the last two seasons, the Braves peaked early and were bounced before they could even blink. Now, they're looking to change the narrative.

Injuries have taken a toll on the Braves in 2024 in a way that should have had them waiving the white flag and looking ahead. But no one told the players that. They currently control the final Wild Card spot, clear by three games. They're also six games back in the division. Anything can happen.

As the Braves continue to win, the other teams around them are noticing. Rivals must be on top of their own games to match the Braves win-for-win. They're making it difficult, though. These three teams need to be on the lookout.

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3. Philadelphia Phillies

On July 13, the Philadelphia Phillies had a 9.5-game lead over the Braves in the National League East. At the All-Star break, it looked like the division was in the bag, and the Phillies could look forward to October. Now, they have to check their mirrors as objects are closer than they appear.

The Phillies sit 23 games above .500 as of Tuesday and still hold a six-game lead over the Braves. But even winning six of their last ten isn't enough to keep the Braves from inching closer and closer. The two teams met in Atlanta last week, and the Braves took two of the three.

This weekend, the two will meet again in Philadelphia. This time, they'll play four games. It will also be the last time they see each other in the regular season. If the Braves take care of business again, the race for the division could get a lot spicier.

2. New York Mets

While a division title is perhaps out of reach, the New York Mets are well within range of a Wild Card spot to make their first playoff appearance since 2022. They are also playing good baseball as of late. But again, it's not as good as the Braves.

It's a mixed bag for the Mets the rest of the way in 2024, especially this week. On Tuesday, they'll play three games in Phoenix against the scorching-hot Arizona Diamondbacks. But they'll then go to Chicago to play the historically bad White Sox.

The Mets have three games left on the schedule against the Braves, and they'll be played in Atlanta in the last week of the season. They'll also have seven more chances against the Phillies, three on the road and four at home.

The Mets may have an opportunity to control their own destiny and make it into the postseason. However, any sort of relapse or skid down the stretch, especially in their divisional games, could be detrimental to their chances. Really, it's the Braves who have the keys to the car.

1. Chicago Cubs

They're not in the same division as the Braves. However, the Chicago Cubs need the Braves to start losing more than just about anyone. They are hanging on a thread of hope to make it to the postseason.

The Cubs sit at just .500 on the year, but it was much worse than that at the All-Star break. There were talks of blowing everything up and pivoting to 2025. However, the Cubs small trades made them, if anything, a little better in 2024. Now, they have revived their chances -- ever so slightly.

It will take near perfection from the Cubs to make it into the postseason in 2024. They would lose every tiebreaker to every team ahead of them in the Wild Card hunt if it came down to it. They'll have to secure a spot on their own with no help.

But if the Braves continue to play the way they're playing now through September, they'll almost certainly block the Cubs from playing baseball in October. The Cubs are 5.5 back of the Braves with just over a month to play. But the way the Braves are playing, it has to feel like double the amount.