It’s A Big Baseball Weekend For Big Baseball Things!
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The final weekend of the MLB regular season is here, adn with four playoff berths still up for grabs, it’s shaping up to be a dramatic one.Several teams are battling for postseason positioning and even just to get into the postseason at all.
American League Playoff Picture
The Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays have already secured their spots, but the remaining AL playoff picture is still being sorted. Both the Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers are currently experiencing what the author terms “Loser Brain,” a recent slump despite strong seasons. The Blue Jays, already confirmed for the playoffs, risk losing their first-round bye if thay can’t turn things around this weekend. The Tigers’ playoff hopes are even more precarious; they need to overcome their current struggles to even qualify for the postseason.
National League Wild Card Race to Cancun
In the National league,the race for the final wild card spot is incredibly tight. The New York Mets currently hold the edge, but the Cincinnati Reds trail by just one game, and the Arizona diamondbacks are only two games back. The competition has been described as a surprisingly polite standoff, with teams seemingly hesitant to aggressively pursue a playoff berth.
The Fish Could Become Evil
The Miami Marlins, though eliminated from playoff contention after a Thursday night loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, could still play spoiler. They face the Mets in a three-game series this weekend and have the potential to disrupt New York’s playoff plans.
I Do Not Know The Guardians
The Cleveland Guardians are a mystery to some, despite their surprising climb towards a playoff berth. The author admits to struggling to recall details about the team and its players, but acknowledges the need to become familiar with them as they pose a legitimate playoff threat.
the Big Dumper Vs. Aaron Judge
The American League MVP race is heating up between Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and New York’s Aaron Judge. Raleigh enters the weekend with 60 home runs, within striking distance of Judge’s American League record of 62 set in 2022.
Niche Home Run history
A unique home run milestone is also within reach. No MLB player has ever finished a regular season with exactly 55 home runs. Both Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber have already surpassed that mark, but Shohei Ohtani (54) and Aaron Judge (51) could still reach the number this weekend.
Drunken Dugout Celebrations
With four playoff berths still undecided, celebrations are guaranteed this weekend. Expect locker rooms to be transformed with plastic sheeting and overflowing with beverages as teams clinch their postseason spots. The author anticipates enjoying the resulting, frequently enough-rambling interviews with players. However, they remain skeptical of the Cleveland Guardians, stating, “Congratulations to all the winners-unless they are the Guardians, whom I do not know!”
