The Pittsburgh Pirates are playing outstanding baseball. However, despite winning eight of their last 10 games, it looks like they will more than likely finish the season as a wild card team at best. The St. Louis Cardinals have the best record in MLB at the moment, 75-42, and the odds of them blowing that lead are very slim.

The Pirates just finished a three-game sweep of the New York Mets on the road, and they will play the Arizona Diamondbacks next. Andrew McCutchen is having another fine season with a team-leading 119 hits, 77 runs batted in and 18 home runs. The Pirates are five games behind the Cardinals in the NL Central, but are in complete control of the first wild card spot in the NL. Two wild card teams will make the playoffs in both the AL and NL, setting up a single elimination game at the end of the year.

Last year the Pirates qualified as a wild card team, but lost to the San Francisco Giants in the first round game 8-0. That game was played in Pittsburgh, but Madison Bumgarner threw a gem, striking out 10 Pirates hitters in shutout fashion.

Speaking of the Giants, they are currently riding a four-game win streak. The defending World Series champions swept the Washington Nationals this past weekend, but still trail the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. The Giants sit at 64-53, but the Dodgers are 67-51. The elite pitching combo of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke should be able to propel the Dodgers to another NL West victory. The biggest question for the Dodgers is, can they finally deliver come playoff time?

The second wild card spot presently belongs to the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs are 67-49 after winning nine of their last 10 games and sweeping the Giants and Milwaukee Brewers. We haven't seen the Cubs win the World Series since 1908, or even make the playoffs since 2008. Anthony Rizzo has been the Cubs' most consistent player this year with a .296 batting average. The Cubs offense hasn't been very impressive, but they rank fourth overall in team ERA behind only the Cardinals, Pirates and Mets, all of whom are in the playoffs at the moment.

The Nationals are in a slump right now, having lost their last six consecutive games. This losing streak came at a bad time because the Mets are on a three-game losing stretch. The Nationals had a great opportunity to close some ground in the National League East, but remain second in the division standings. Matt Williams' club is now 58-59, nine wins behind the Cubs for the second wild card spot. The Nationals have a better chance at making the playoffs as a division winner instead of a wild card team.

NL Division Leaders

1. Cardinals: 75-42
2. Dodgers: 67-51
3. Mets: 63-55

NL Wild Card Teams

1. Pirates: 69-46
2. Cubs: 67-49
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3. Giants: 64-53
4. Nationals: 58-59

Follow Damon Salvadore on Twitter @DamonSalvadore1