MLB Postseason: Predicting National League Playoff Field
Ben DiGiacomo
Host · Writer
Wild Card 3: New York Mets
How about the New York Mets? After a sloppy and miserable start to the season, they have been one of baseball’s best teams in recent weeks, putting them in the Wild Card as they sit three games over .500. It remains to be seen if the Mets will be aggressive buyers at the trade deadline. Still, even if they stand pat, the vibes are high in Queens. Francisco Lindor has been unbelievable leading the charge, and the rest of the offense has been consistent down the order. Maybe they could use an extra starting pitcher and another bullpen piece in an ideal world, but they are more likely than not to be in the playoffs as currently constructed.
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No. 1 Seed (NL East): Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies have been the best team in baseball all season, and it’s hard to imagine them losing that title any time soon or falling from their position as the top seed in the National League. They have a star-studded offense that’s producing, own an elite bullpen, and boast the deepest group of starting pitchers in baseball. Heading into the trade deadline, it will be interesting to see how the Phils elect to add to their outfield, with Luis Robert Jr. continuing to be linked to the club.
No. 2 Seed (NL West): Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are going through a rough patch where they are deadline with injuries up and down the roster, but regardless of when these guys get back into the lineup, the Dodgers lack depth in a big way. It’s no secret that the Dodgers have arguably the best top-end talent in all of baseball, but they have massive holes down the lineup. Some of these guys should be unplayable come playoff time. Plus, looking at the starting rotation, another arm is a necessity. It’s just a matter of whether the Dodgers will swing for the fences with someone like Garrett Crochet or elect a mid-tier arm. The Dodgers still are the World Series frontrunner on all the sportsbooks, but a lot of that is trust that the Dodgers will do something big at the deadline.
No. 3 Seed (NL Central): Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers have overachieved all season long and are on track to become NL Central champions. The offense is headlined by two all-stars, Christian Yelich and William Contreras, while the starting rotation continually gives the bullpen good chances to finish games. It’s hard to imagine this Brewers’ front office going all-in at the trade deadline to add another bat or starting pitcher, but they will need to if they want to knock off the Dodgers or Phillies in October.
Wild Card 1: Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are having a down year, but a down year for them is still good enough for the top Wild Card spot in the NL. Come playoff team, a top-three rotation of Chris Sale, Max Fried, and Reynaldo Lopez makes them especially dangerous if their underachieving offense can be clicking on all cylinders at the right time. As we’ve seen with Wild Card teams in recent postseasons, that may be more likely than not if the Braves can get a little bit of luck.
Wild Card 2: Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks currently are sitting a game back of the final Wild Card spot in the NL, but there are plenty of reasons to be excited about their chances to climb the standings in the coming months. As they did late last summer, the D-Backs made a final push for the playoffs in the season's final weeks, largely due in part to the contributions of their trade deadline additions to the bullpen. Many expect the D-Backs to be buyers again by this deadline, ideally adding to an offense that could quickly turn a corner and become one of the NL’s better units. This team deserves our trust, so we’ll give it to them.
Wild Card 3: New York Mets
How about the New York Mets? After a sloppy and miserable start to the season, they have been one of baseball’s best teams in recent weeks, putting them in the Wild Card as they sit three games over .500. It remains to be seen if the Mets will be aggressive buyers at the trade deadline. Still, even if they stand pat, the vibes are high in Queens. Francisco Lindor has been unbelievable leading the charge, and the rest of the offense has been consistent down the order. Maybe they could use an extra starting pitcher and another bullpen piece in an ideal world, but they are more likely than not to be in the playoffs as currently constructed.
Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
No. 1 Seed (NL East): Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies have been the best team in baseball all season, and it’s hard to imagine them losing that title any time soon or falling from their position as the top seed in the National League. They have a star-studded offense that’s producing, own an elite bullpen, and boast the deepest group of starting pitchers in baseball. Heading into the trade deadline, it will be interesting to see how the Phils elect to add to their outfield, with Luis Robert Jr. continuing to be linked to the club.
