Somehow it’s already the end of the regular season. It doesn’t seem so long ago when teams were leaving their respective camps in Florida and Arizona, getting ready for the season ahead. Now, we have just one more day, and things are setting up for maximum (or close to it) excitement. There was a chance as late as Saturday for a three-way tie and two days of tiebreakers, but we’re not that lucky. Still, there are two races yet to be decided in the National League. The playoff field may be set out in the NL, but there is just one team locked into their spot. For the other four, Sunday represents everything.
The National League comes to a head on Sunday
Sunday morning’s Say Hey, Baseball includes two potential tiebreakers, Giancarlo Stanton being hit by his own home run ball, and Oakland’s pitching plans in the Wildcard Game.
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
What’s particularly interesting about these races is that they feature the two teams many would argue are the top two in baseball. In the Central, the Cubs have led the division for most of the year, but Milwaukee has refused to go away. Well, on Saturday the Cubs offense was shut down by Miles Mikolas and then Christian Yelich led the Brewers to yet another win over the Tigers, and just like that the Central was tied. Meanwhile, out west, the Dodgers used a late-game comeback to come out on top in San Francisco while the red-hot Rockies lost a blowout to the Nationals. As a result, the West, like the Central, was tied.
So, now we have a lot to watch on Sunday. Well, we have four games to watch, anyway. The scenarios are simple, too. If the Cubs and Brewers both enjoy the same result, they will play a tiebreaker on Monday. If not, the team that wins will win the division while also claiming the top spot in the league. The same goes for the Dodgers and Rockies, at least in terms of the tiebreaker on Monday. This is the exact scenario MLB was thinkig about when they started putting all of their regular-season finales on at the same time. So, get your quad-boxes ready and be ready for a wild Sunday in the National League.
- The Braves are the one NL team locked into their playoff spot, but it wasn’t too long ago they hit rock bottom.
- Giancarlo Stanton put an exclamation point on the Yankees’ win Saturday with a home run, but a Red Sox fan took center stage after that.
- The Nationals have decided they won’t be pitching Max Scherzeragainst the Rockies on Sunday. I’m sure the Dodgers appreciate that decision.
- The Cardinals were in the postseason chase up until the Dodgers win on Saturday, making it yet another good but not great season for St. Louis.
- Mookie Betts is the clear favorite to take home the AL MVP this year, and he’s been even better than your typical MVP winner in 2018.
- The Mets haven’t had anything to play for in months, but they were the center of the baseball world for a time on Saturday when David Wright took the field for the last time.
- In Boston, the other New York team made history by setting the new record for most home runs from a team in a single season.
- The Yankees will be taking on the Athletics in the Wildcard Game. What could Oakland do with their pitching in the winner-take-all contest?
- Speaking of the A’s, Khris Davis has somehow become the most consistent hitter in baseball.
- It’s been a disaster of a month for the Phillies, but for as hard as it’s been to watch the future is still bright for Philadelphia.
- Among the many arguments for Blake Snell to take home the Cy Young this year is how well he’s performed against some of the best lineups in baseball.
See More:
