When September rolls around, it means rosters have expanded and we’re now less than a month away from the start of the 2016 MLB postseason.
The Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians and Washington Nationals can rest easy knowing they’re all but a lock to make the playoffs and safe bets to win their respective divisions. Outside of those four teams, there’s still a lot to be sorted out.
The AL East features four legitimate contenders and what is shaping up to be a two-team battle between the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays for the division title, while three games separate the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants in the NL West standings.
The Detroit Tigers and New York Mets were the biggest risers in this week’s rankings. They’re getting hot at the right time in their push for a wild-card berth, while the Seattle Mariners, Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins are quickly playing their way out of contention.
At the bottom of the rankings, the Atlanta Braves put together an unlikely 6-0 week to climb several spots, and the Minnesota Twins finally won a game.
As always, one thing remains true: These rankings are a fluid process as teams move up or down based on where they ranked the previous week. If a club keeps winning, it will keep climbing—it’s as simple as that.