MLB playoffs odds 2013, Sept. 15: NL Central remains uncertain

Taking a look at the latest MLB post-season odds from coolstandings and Baseball Prospectus.

Sep 15, 2013, 3:17 PM UTC

Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

The playoff races are becoming clearer by the day. With every team in action over the last two days, a few have made big changes to their chances of making the postseason.

Here are the playoff odds in the American League:

			CoolStandings.com			Baseball Prospectus
Team	Wins	Losses	Div	WC	POFF	Div	WC	POFF
Red Sox	91	59	99.9	<0.1	100	100	0	100
Tigers	85	63	98.3	1.5	99.8	99	0.8	99.8
Athletics	87	61	98.4	1.5	99.9	97.6	2.4	100
Rangers	81	66	1.6	60.6	62.2	2.4	67	69.4
Rays	81	66	<0.1	60.6	60.6	0	78.6	78.6
Indians	80	68	1.6	52.8	54.4	1	36.7	36.8
Yankees	79	70	<0.1	8.6	8.6	0	6.9	6.9
Orioles	78	70	<0.1	3.5	3.5	0	3	3
Royals	78	70	0.1	10.8	10.9	0.1	4.6	4.6

The biggest shake-up took place in the American League was in the tough East division. The Red Sox remain a near-certainty to win the division, but the Yankees and Rays each saw big changes in their playoff odds. Tampa Bay went 2-0 against the Twins over the past two days and saw their odds to make the playoffs rise over 10 percent. The Yankees, already facing long odds to reach the playoffs, saw their chances drop 10 percent after losing twice to the Red Sox. New York is in danger of dropping out of the playoff race entirely.

The Indians saw a 14 percent rise in their odds after a pair of victories while the Rangers dropped nearly 15 percent after a pair of one-run losses. It looks like the six teams who will make the postseason in the AL are nearly set, with the Yankees, Orioles and Royals all facing a tough uphill battle.

Now the National League:

Team	Wins	Losses	Div	WC	POFF	Div	WC	POFF
Braves	89	59	99.9	<0.1	100	100	0	100
Dodgers	86	62	99.9	0	99.9	100	0	100
Cardinals	86	62	54.2	45.6	99.8	48	51.8	99.7
Pirates	86	62	35.5	64.3	99.8	39.1	60.8	99.9
Reds	84	65	10.2	88.3	98.6	12.9	85.9	98.8
Nationals	78	70	<0.1	1.8	1.8	0.0	1.5	1.5

With just a little over two weeks remaining in the regular season, the National League is nearly set. The only question that remains is where exactly the NL Central trio will finish in relation to one another. The Cardinals, Pirates and Reds have each gone 1-1 over their past two games, holding tight in the standings.

Meanwhile, the magic number for both the Dodgers and Braves to clinch their respective divisions stands at four. Despite winning one and losing one the last two days, the Nationals slipped just a little more in the odds and have a mountain to climb if they hope to get back into contention for the playoffs.