MLB 2023 wild card race is heating up with less than two months left in the season. Here are some teams to watch as they compete for the coveted playoff spots.
The MLB playoff races are underway, and it is exciting to watch, especially with the addition of the third wild card. This has injected more chaos into the final weeks of the season. Here is a look at the current wild card races and what teams have the advantage.
MLB Wild Card Races
American League
Embed from Getty Images EmbedAmerican League Wild Card is interesting because the AL East has three teams competing for the spots. The Red Sox are among those teams fighting for the wild card. For the first few months, it looked like the Red Sox were the odd man out in AL East. They are now in the mix after a successful July and are ahead of the Yankees. The Blue Jays are currently holding the second wild card with a couple of games in hand. This is a good Blue Jays team that should be able to hold their league.
The Orioles have been a nice surprise as they have been leading the AL Wild card race most of the season. Baltimore has played good baseball with a young and talented team. Though the Houston Astros are not far behind. Another team making a strong push is the Seattle Mariners as they continue their hot streak.
National League
Embed from Getty Images EmbedThis year the National League wild-card race is chaotic, messy, and entertaining making fans grateful for the extra spot. It is a tight race with San Fransico Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and Cincinnati Reds all within a couple of games of each other. The Giants are currently holding the top wild card with a two-game lead and are playing good baseball. The Phillies are trying to return to the playoffs after making it to the World Series last year.
The Reds are an interesting team because there were no high expectations to start the season. In fact, they struggled the first two months but have been on a hot streak since then. A couple of other teams to look out for are the Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks. Even though the Diamondbacks have cooled off since the All-Star break, they are still one of the hottest teams in MLB. They have been a nice surprise and were even leading the tough NL West for a while. The Marlins have a chance to make the postseason for the first time in a while.
It would be nice to see some fresh teams in the postseason and add some more competition. Therefore, fans should keep an eye on all these teams in the final months of the season. Stay tuned for more MLB news and stories.
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