Continuing from last week, here are the six National League teams, their current record and current playoff spot as of Sept. 17, how they got where they are and their road to the championship.
Milwaukee Brewers (92-59) (1 seed)
The Milwaukee Brewers have been one of the best stories in all of sports. This past offseason, their hall of fame broadcaster, Bob Uecker passed away. Uecker was a legend to not only the Brewers, but to all of the Major League Baseball fanbase.
After starting the season 0-4, giving up 47 runs in those four games, (t-most runs allowed in first four games to start the season), and being 21-25 on May 17, the Brewers have been as close as unstoppable gets. They are 71-34 in their last 105 games, including an 8 game, 11 game, and franchise record 14 game win streak.
Milwaukee is a team that puts tons of pressure on opponents defenses through their baserunning, leading the National League in stolen bases. They have a strong roster top to bottom. Former NL MVP, Christian Yelich is a home run away from another 30 Home Run, 100 RBI (Runs Batted In) season.
Last month, Brice Turang batted .343 and had 10 home runs which led him to NL Player of the Month, and Freddy Peralta’s unreal 0.32 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 4-0 record led him to NL Pitcher of the Month.
Quinn Priester and Andrew Vaughn were both acquired during the middle of the season, and both weren’t doing too well before coming to Milwaukee. After making minor adjustments with the Brewers, both have been fantastic. Since coming to the Brewers, Priester has been a dominant arm in a great rotation, in fact, the Brewers have won their last 18 games he has pitched. On the White Sox in 2025, in 48 games, Vaughn had a .189 batting average with 5 home runs and 19 RBI’s. Since getting traded, Vaughn has turned it around, batting .313, with 9 home runs and 42 RBIs.
The path for the Brewers to win their first title in franchise history, is consistency. By doing what they are doing, the team currently with the best record in baseball will be setting themselves up to win the big games.
Milwaukee’s problem is bullpen health. Their bullpen has been a key to their success, including Trevor Megill who has 30 saves for the Brewers, but is on the injured list. With as much as they have been throwing, a couple injuries could hurt the Brewers big time.
Philadelphia Phillies (91-61) (2 seed)
The Phillies have suffered some heartbreak over the last couple years, losing in the World Series, NLCS, and NLDS, but look to finally finish the job this year. The Phillies have been consistent all year, and have had many strong pieces that have led to their success.
Kyle Schwarber has NL leading 53 home runs and 128 RBIs and is in contention for the NL MVP. Trea Turner is closing in on the NL Batting Title with his .305 batting average, and the two time MVP Bryce Harper has had another strong season for Philadelphia. Philadelphia’s rotation is tough, with Christopher Sanchez, Jesús Luzardo, and Ranger Suarez, but the injury and loss of ace Zach Wheeler is very costly, potentially being a problem down the line. However, the acquisition of Johan Duran at the trade deadline will make the ninth inning extremely tough for opposing teams, especially at home.
The Phillies path to go back to the World Series is by finishing the job. The Phillies do a great job at getting ahead of teams in playoff series. In 2022, they were up two games to one and lost three in a row to the Astros in the World Series. In 2023, they were up two games to none, and three games to two, before losing the last two games at home to the Diamondbacks.
If Philadelphia can end the series how they started, they will be very successful and make it tough for opposing teams to even force more games.
Los Angeles Dodgers (84-67) (3 seed)
The Dodgers are the reigning World Series champions and look to go for the repeat. Los Angeles picked up right where they left off for the first three months of the season, going 54-32 with an eight game lead over the Padres.
However, a seven game losing streak toward the start of July has led to the Padres getting close to take the division title, getting within two games.
Three time MVP and two way superstar Shohei Ohtani is closing in on his fourth MVP. Ohtani, coming off the first 50 home run 50 stolen base season in MLB history, is has 51 home runs, 95 RBIs, and an NL leading .395 on base percentage and .617 slugging percentage (total bases/at bat) and has a 3.29 ERA since coming back to the mound in June.
The Dodgers rotation of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Ohtani will be another great rotation in the National League. All players have a sub 3.30 ERA, including Yamamoto and Snell being sub 2.60.
Los Angeles struggles have come from their bullpen, especially two of their closers Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott who were signed this past offseason. Both players have negative WAR, Scott has a 4.73 ERA with nine blown saves, and Yates has a 5.18 ERA and three blown saves.
The Dodgers are a stacked team, but if they want to repeat, they need their well rounded arms they just signed to return back to their original form, and finish games off.
Chicago Cubs (87-64) (4 seed)
The Cubs have always been a historic franchise, but recently they have not done much. They haven’t been to the playoffs since 2020, and have not won a playoff game since they won the World Series in 2016.
Luckily, Chicago is back in the playoffs. The Cubs were feeling really good at the start of the year with a six game division lead over the Brewers in the middle of May. The Cubs played solid baseball throughout the summer months, but the Brewers hot streak has now put the Cubs five games back from Milwaukee.
The Cubs success has put them currently in the four spot, where they should be able to get to host the Wild Card Series. Chicago has had a lot of great performances from unexpected pitchers this year. Matthew Boyd, the 34 year old with a 3.20 ERA in 174 innings received his first All Star appearance this year. Cade Horton, who made his MLB debut in May, has a 2.66 ERA and may win Rookie of the Year.
Their experienced bullpen has also delivered for Chicago, Brad Keller, Caleb Theilbar, and Drew Pomeranz all have sub 2.20 ERA and Daniel Palencia has 22 saves.
If the Cubs want to go all the way, their lineup needs to return to what they did earlier this year. After hitting 27 home runs in the first four months of the season, all star outfielder Pete Crow Armstrong is batting .171 with only 2 home runs in 42 games. Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki also had really hot stars, but have cooled down since. If the Cubs want to win it all, they need their lineup to be better and do what they did earlier in the year.
San Diego Padres (82-69) (5 seed)
The Padres have been consistent throughout the year, and with the Dodgers losing streak, San Diego have brought themselves within two games of the division. The Padres goal to finish the season is to win the division.
The Padres have been unstoppable at home with a 47-28 record, but have struggled on the road with a 36-42 record. San Diego has one of the loudest crowds in the game and they would love to grab the three seed, rather than go to Chicago.
Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado have led the offense throughout the year, both with over 20 home runs. The Padres don’t have a true ace, but with no weak spots in the rotation, they will be yet another NL team that will be tough to score runs against.
The highlight of this team is their bullpen. Robert Suarez has an NL leading 39 saves, and Mason Miller, who was acquired during the trade deadline has a 0.93 ERA with San Diego in 19 innings. Adrian Morejon and Jason Adam have been lights out, both with sub 2.10 ERA.
San Diego’s problem in the postseason may be scoring drought. To end the postseason last year, the Padres did not score a run in 24 consecutive innings and they have been shut out nine times this year. If the offense gets hot at the right time, they may go all the way for the first time in franchise history.
New York Mets (78-63) (6 seed)
On June 12, life was great to be a Mets fan. A 45-24 record, best record in the league, 5.5 game division lead, they had signed superstar outfielder Juan Soto, everything was going their way.
Since then, New York has been in a dark place. Going 33-39, falling from the top playoff seed to the bottom, and feeling like the season is over. However, the hot start has allowed them to still be in a playoff spot and have a fighting chance. The struggling team still has hope through some of the top players in the NL East. Juan Soto, Fransisco Lindor and Pete Alonso, have had a strong year, with Soto hitting 41 home runs, Alonso has 37, and Lindor has 27.
All of the Mets rotation has done their job, all having more wins than losses and having sub 4.00 ERA. All star closer Edwin Diaz has been lights out, with 26 saves and a 1.85 ERA.
New York’s path to the title is going to have to be somewhat similar to last year. Last year, the Mets were in a really rough spot, but were able to fight back to go all the way to the NLCS as a six seed. If the Mets are able to dig out of the hole they’re in, they could go back to the World Series.
Down, but not out
Arizona Diamondbacks: 1.5 back from wild card
Despite trading away key players at the deadline, their late season push and with the help of the Mets losing, have given the 2023 NL Champs a shot to sneak back into the Wild Card.
Cincinnati Reds: 2 back from wild card
It has been an up and down year, but the Reds still have an outside shot to jump the Mets. The Reds do have the tiebreaker against all teams fighting for the sixth spot. San Francisco Giants: 2 back from wild card After an extremely hot summer, a cool summer put the Giants out of position, but not out of reach.
Seventeen teams are still alive, who all have different ways of how they got to where they are today. Twelve teams make it into the postseason, but only one can be the champion.
