Several other clubs are battling for a spot in the post season and a few could challenge the Cubs come playoff time. For now Chicago (78-45) sits on top of the power rankings and until proven otherwise, the favorites to win their first championship in over 100 years.
The AL East has three teams contending for the top spot and much like last season, the Toronto Blue Jays are making a big second half run. The Jays (70-54) are on top of the division and ranked fifth in the latest rankings from The Buffalo News. However, with Boston (69-54) and Baltimore (67-55) right on their tails, a bit more production at the plate would come in handy over the last few weeks of the regular season.
With only a couple tight division races in baseball, many fans are looking past Washington as a title contender — but don’t. The Nationals (73-50) have one of the best rotations in the game and a lineup that is seventh in the MLB in runs scored, a combination that could prove difficult to beat when October rolls around.
The lone battle in the National League is out west where the LA Dodgers have now caught the San Francisco Giants. Both sides are 68-55 for the year, but unless something changes in the next few weeks, neither side figures to battle for the National League spot in the World Series.
Seven sides are in contention for the two wild-card spots in the American League. The loser in the AL East has the upper-hand, but Seattle, Detroit, Kansas City and even the NY Yankees could still make a late run to earn a post season berth.
The National League still has five teams with October aspirations with St Louis, Miami, and the loser in the NL West likely the teams to beat, but Pittsburgh and the NY Mets could go on a roll and make things interesting over the next few weeks.
