MLB Standings: Pirates Closing in on Cardinals, Mets; Cubs Still Streaking in Wild Card Race
Major League Baseball fans are in for an all-time great finish to the regular season, especially in the National League.
The St. Louis Cardinals have been in first place in the NL for the entire season, and they have their eyes set on that No. 1 seed for the playoffs. The Cardinals got a huge win over the Cincinnati Reds last night with a late game rally in the eighth inning. With that win, the Cardinals are now 94-56 and improved their home record to 51-24.
The Cardinals have already clinched a playoff spot. This is the fifth consecutive season the Cardinals will be making the playoffs. In each of the previous four years, the Cardinals at least made it to the NL Championship Series.
Giving the Cardinals a run for their money are the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have now won their last three consecutive games and sit just four wins behind the Cardinals with a 90-60 record. Unfortunately for the Pirates, they will be without Jung-ho Kang for the rest of the season because of a leg injury he sustained at second base. Andrew McCutchen is having another All-Star season, but Pedro Alvarez and Starling Marte are also contributing immensely at the plate.
It won't be easy, but the Pirates do have a chance to catch the Cardinals for first place. The Pirates are 8-8 against the Cardinals this season, and they will face off in the final three games of the season.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets each lead their respective divisions at the moment. The Dodgers have benefited from elite pitching. Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw have a combined record of 32-10 this season, and they know they will once again have to go through the Cardinals if they're going to win the World Series. Adrian Gonzalez has been the best power hitter for the Dodgers this year with a team-leading 28 home runs and 87 RBI.
The Dodgers now have a commanding lead in the National League West ahead of the San Francisco Giants while the Mets have taken complete control of the National League East over the Washington Nationals.
Speaking of the Mets, they are currently the No. 3 seed in the NL. Matt Harvey has a pitch limit, but that's not stopping this dominating pitching staff. Even 42-year-old Bartolo Colon has 14 wins for the Mets this season. The midseason trade for Yoenis Cespedes has proven to be a wise one. The Cuban star has rejuvenated this Mets offense tremendously, and given them the spark that they needed.
The Mets are 4-3 against the Dodgers this season, which means if the two teams are tied at season's end with an identical record, the Mets will get the better seed based on head-to head games.
The Chicago Cubs are right behind the Pirates in the National League Central with an 88-62 record. The Cubs are 7-0 against the Mets and 10-6 against the Pirates this season. Even if the Cubs can't overtake the Pirates in the standings, they definitely matchup well against other opponents for a World Series run.
If season were to end today the Pirates and Cubs would play each other in a wild card game with the winner playing the Cardinals in the second round. The Dodgers and Mets would face off in the second round with the Dodgers having home-field advantage.
NL Standings
Division leaders
1. St. Louis Cardinals: 94-56
2. Los Angeles Dodgers: 85-64
3. New York Mets: 85-65
Wild Card
4. Pittsburgh Pirates: 90-60
5. Chicago Cubs: 88-62
Bubble Teams
6. San Francisco Giants: 78-71
7. Washington Nationals: 78-71
Follow Damon Salvadore on Twitter @DamonSalvadore1