Major League Baseball’s next two weeks can tell a lot about a team. Postseason hopefuls try to prove they’re for real while others quietly fade away into mediocrity.
The August 31 waiver trade deadline forces teams to competitively show their hand before the final month of the season. This week offers some notable series matchups around the league that could determine the playoff fate of several teams.
The San Francisco Giants face a road trip against two playoff-caliber clubs from the National League Central, as they hope to play their way into October baseball.
Meanwhile, a few American League clubs are looking to play their way to a Wild Card Game berth.
When putting together this list, we considered each team’s postseason probability, according to Baseball Prospectus, record over the last six-to-10 games, remaining regular-season schedule and the desperation factor.
This factor translates differently for each club: A first-place team (see Cardinals) doesn’t need wins as desperately as that fringe wild-card club (see Angels).
It’s make-or-break time for many MLB teams, and the week of August 17 brings some exciting baseball drama.