MLB Wild Card Standings: Orioles, Dodgers Atop the Boards

With just under 100 games left in the regular season, the MLB Wild Card standings are already beginning to take shape. Perennial contenders like the Yankees, Astros, and Dodgers are all in the mix, with a few less familiar suspects, including the Marlins and Reds, also jockeying for position.

There’s no telling what will happen over the next few weeks and months. Given that, let’s take a look at how things currently stand.

American League

Baltimore has maintained heat on baseball’s best team, 48-21 Tampa Bay, with six wins over its last nine games. Notably, Baltimore took two of three from the Rays last month on the MLB schedule. The teams will meet again, at Tropicana Field, next week. The best thing it may have going for it is its bullpen, which is headlined by Yannier Cano and Felix Bautista. They’ve combined to allow only eight runs over 65 innings.

Already nine games back of Tampa Bay, the Yankees must survive without Aaron Judge. The reigning AL Most Valuable Player wound up on the 10-Day Injured List for the second time this season after crashing through the right-field fence at Dodger Stadium, leaving him with a sprained toe. It’s an enormous loss. Judge has 19 homers and still leads baseball with a 1.078 OPS.

Like New York, Houston is trying to make do without its most feared hitter. Outfielder Yordan Alvarez, who has an MLB-best 55 RBI, is out with an oblique injury. The Astros remain among the teams to beat — they own the fourth-best World Series odds at +700 — but they’ll need Alvarez healthy to reach their ultimate goal.

Toronto, a half-game behind Houston in the MLB Wild Card standings, is bidding to make it four playoff teams from the AL East. Their lineup is potent, with Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but don’t overlook their rotation. Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt have formed a dynamic one-two punch. … The Angels haven’t been to the playoffs since 2014. Few franchises have done less with more. If Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani get enough help, that drought could end. … Boston predictably got it right in signing third baseman Rafael Devers (15 HR, 52 RBI) to a long-term extension. … Despite being under .500, the Mariners are just 4.5 games out of the last Wild Card spot.

National League

The Dodgers sit 3.0 games behind the surprising Diamondbacks (41-25) in the NL West. Despite that, oddsmakers remain bullish on their chances of playing deep into October. At +600, the Dodgers own the second-best World Series odds behind the Braves and Rays (+550).

The Marlins have gotten off to a strong start at 37-30, but is it sustainable? Miami’s run differential is minus-27, the worst among current playoff teams. That would seem to indicate Miami is a prime candidate for regression. At this point, Skip Schumaker has to be a favorite for Manager of the Year.

The Brewers continue to put pressure on the Pirates (34-30), who have cooled off after a red-hot April. Right-hander Corbin Burnes (5-4, 3.36) is still searching to find his Cy Young form, and if he does, Milwaukee could take off. Closer Devin Williams, on the other hand, has been outstanding. He’s allowed only one run in 21.2 innings.

San Francisco has rebounded from a poor April (11-16) to pull even for the last spot in the MLB Wild Card standings. It’s a credit to the Giants’ pitching staff, which owns the 10th-lowest ERA (3.93) in the bigs.

The Phillies have struggled to recapture their form from last October when they made a surprise run to the World Series. They sure could use shortstop Trea Turner, their prized free-agent acquisition, to heat up. The $300 million man has an underwhelming .679 OPS. … Rookies Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, and Andrew Abbott have rejuvenated the Reds. … The Padres have arguably been baseball’s most disappointing team. Six-time All-Star Manny Machado is hitting only .244 with six homers. … What do the Mets have to show for a record $345 million? Not much. It sure doesn’t help that Pete Alonso, the MLB leader with 22 homers, is now out with a wrist sprain.

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