MLB Playoffs: Which Wild Card Race Is More Intriguing?

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With nearly all the division titles locked up, the only thing left unsettled are who will be the four Wild Card teams in the MLB playoffs. Both races should be fun to watch with just under a week left in the regular season. But which one would an impartial baseball fan find more exciting?

It’s that time of the year again. NFL football is in full swing, the leaves are changing, the temperature is cooling down and the MLB playoffs are about to begin.

With that, we already know the winners of almost every division even with six days remaining in the regular season. The Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers have all booked their tickets to the postseason with division crowns, and the Boston Red Sox should join them shortly. But if you think that this is going to make these next couple of series uneventful, you are mistaken.

Both the American and National Leagues have some very intriguing Wild Card races shaping up that should provide much drama in the final days of MLB’s regular season. Looking at the races right now, there are probably eight teams fighting for the final four postseason spots.

However, this doesn’t mean that both races are the same. There are a variety of different storylines that baseball fans will have to look out for over this last week. Not only does each game matter more, you finally get the feeling that playoff baseball has arrived. Eyes will be locked in on every pitch as a single hit or error could make the difference between a club playing or watching come October.

It should be a fun final ride. But which Wild Card race reigns supreme? Let’s dive in.

Separation

AL Wild Card Standings

Toronto Blue Jays (1.0 game lead)
Baltimore Orioles –
Detroit Tigers 2.0 GB
Seattle Mariners 2.0 GB
Houston Astros 3.5 GB

NL Wild Card Standings

New York Mets (0.5 game lead)
San Francisco Giants –
St. Louis Cardinals 1.0 GB

One of the truly best parts of a playoff race is how bunched together the contending clubs are. Most likely the closer the teams are in the home stretch, the better the chance that we will get games that actually matter on the final day of the regular season. Remember the craziness of the 2011 season’s final day? That all unfolded because the Boston Red Sox/Tampa Bay Rays and the St. Louis Cardinals/Atlanta Braves were neck-and-neck in the final days of the postseason chase. This type of intrigue is what keeps baseball fans coming back each and every day to see all the moving and shaking.

Taking a look at the standings, both leagues have two solid strengths for their playoff push. In the American League, they have the advantage in the sheer number of teams that are involved in the final days. Having more clubs bunched together creates more excitement because multiple fanbases can envision themselves wearing t-shirts that say “postseason bound” after the final out as been made.

However, in the National League, while there may not be as many teams still alive for the Wild Card, the separation is much closer. All three teams remain within a game and a half of each other. This may make it more likely that the final six days will see a lot of switching in the standings, and it should keep fans on the edge of their seats too.

In the end, while having more teams to keep track of is fun, I would much rather watch the race that can change everyday. The AL Wild Card needs a couple of days for the standings to change, while the NL has the ability to flip-flop on any single day. This is why in terms of separation, the National League takes the cake.

Verdict: National League

Teams Involved

American League

Toronto Blue Jays (86-70)
Baltimore Orioles (85-71)
Detroit Tigers (83-73)
Seattle Mariners (83-73)
Houston Astros (82-75)

National League

New York Mets (83-74)
San Francisco Giants (82-74)
St. Louis Cardinals (81-75)

It’s one thing for a race to be close, it’s another to analyze the teams making the standings tight. Watching baseball is not just about seeing how down to the wire things can get, it’s also about what players and clubs you’re watching play during the final playoff push.

This year we may have two close races, but the types of teams involved in each greatly differs. Looking at the National League, the name brands alone are big. You have a team in the Giants that has won three out of the past five World Series, the Mets were MLB’s runner-up last season and the Cardinals are a perennial powerhouse. But when analyzing each team on their own, the 2016 versions of these clubs paint a much different picture, whether the teams can control it or not.

Injuries have been a constant trouble for New York. Three pieces of the Mets’ stellar rotation are currently sidelined with injuries. Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz have left the load to a sick Noah Syndergaard and a 43-year-old Bartolo Colon. The Giants have one of the worst records in MLB since the All-Star break after leapfrogging the league-wide favorite Chicago Cubs in July. Even as solid of a franchise as the Cardinals are, they’ve had trouble playing consistent baseball this entire year.

Jumping over to the American League, the teams are clearly in a much better position to succeed. The Toronto Blue Jays have the best starting pitching in the AL. The Orioles also have the power and bullpen that makes them a must-see when they get it going. Also, the clubs that currently are playing catch up are having solid seasons. Detroit’s Justins (Verlander and Upton) have been on a tear of late. Seattle has one of the best 3-4-5 hitting combinations in Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager. Even Houston, who’s somewhat disappointed this year, has an MVP frontrunner that you can watch play every day in Jose Altuve.

What teams are playing for a postseason spot is important to how exciting a race can be, and the American League has a clear edge in terms of the ballclubs they have involved.

Verdict: American League

Schedule

American League

Toronto Blue Jays: 3 vs. BAL, 3 at BOS

Baltimore Orioles: 3 at TOR, 3 at NYY

Detroit Tigers: 3 vs. CLE, 3 at ATL

Seattle Mariners: 2 at HOU, 4 at OAK

Houston Astros: 2 vs. SEA, 3 at LAA

National League

New York Mets: 2 at MIA, 3 at PHI

San Francisco Giants: 3 vs. COL, 3 vs. LAD

St. Louis Cardinals: 3 vs. CIN, 3 vs. PIT

Another factor involved with the thrill of MLB in late September is the head-to-head matchups that us fans get to see night in and night out. Watching two playoff hopefuls square off late in the season can be must-watch TV. So let’s take a peek at what the upcoming schedule looks like as the MLB season winds down.

In the AL, there are 11 games overall that pit two playoff contenders against one another. Two of the best series looks to be the elimination one between the Mariners and the Astros, which will certainly knock a team out of playoff contention. Houston needs to win the final two games of the series if they want to have a chance at playing October baseball. The other resides in Toronto where the Orioles and Blue Jays will fight to see where the Wild Card game may be played. If there’s a sweep it may knock one of the clubs out of the postseason picture altogether. There is nothing like a rivalry game between two competitive teams. This series may be the ultimate deciding factor in what the AL standings look like at the end of the regular season.

Shifting to the NL, there are some intriguing series as well. The one that immediately jumps off the list is when the Dodgers travel to San Francisco to take on the Giants. Now this may not be for the division title like some people might have hoped, but there still are multiple playoff implications involved in this one. Bruce Bochy‘s squad is fighting for a Wild Card, while the Dodgers are battling with the Nationals for who will have the home field advantage in their divisional playoff series.

Please don’t underestimate the Dodgers’ loathing of their rivals either. Nothing would make them happier than knocking out the “even year champs” from postseason contention. The Mets and Cardinals face a couple of lesser divisional opponents, which ups the spoiler factor, but both teams are still expected to take care of business. Even though, the Marlins-Mets series is complicated because of the tragic death of Jose Fernandez.

This criteria may be a bit closer than the past two, but I have to give the edge to the American League because there are just more impactful games to be played.

Verdict: American League

Biggest Storylines

Top AL Storylines

Blue Jays and Orioles Battle
Wild Card Effect on MVP Race
Justin Verlander and Zach Britton‘s Cy Young Chances

Top NL Storylines

Can the Mets Overcome Injuries?
Giants “Even Year” Drama
Another MadBum vs. Kershaw Showdown?

Let’s be honest, we all love a good story. Whether it’s a chance at redemption, someone defying the odds or just the thrill of a close race, there is no doubt good stories draw good ratings. With that, I have pointed out some of the top storylines to watch in both leagues.

An American League East battle between two of MLB’s best power hitting teams is certainly something to tune in for. The environment in Toronto will be crazy for this one as there have been some incredible games between these two clubs. Expect a lot of dingers and some high anxiety moments as these clubs look to solidify their place in the postseason.

The AL MVP debate has reached new heights regarding how important winning means to actually winning the award. Nobody questions that Mike Trout has the best overall numbers of any player in the running, but a couple of contenders have a chance to jolt their respective team into the postseason. Jose Altuve, Josh Donaldson and Manny Machado are in danger of missing the postseason. If for some reason only one or perhaps no player can push their club through in a tense race it may make it a two-way battle between Trout and Mookie Betts.

On the contrary, if an MVP hopeful goes on a tear down the stretch they could reignite the MVP debate. Justin Verlander’s resurgent season is something to keep note of as he could make a final case for himself taking home the prestigious award. Zach Britton can also make analysts who scoff at the idea of closers winning the Cy Young cringe with a few crucial saves.

All of this is well and good, but the National League may reign supreme here. The fact that the Mets have overcome all these injuries may be the most surprising storyline in the entire MLB. At this moment, pitchers like Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo are keeping the rotation together. On the offensive side, Asdrubal Cabrera and Jose Reyes must have walked through a time machine in September because they are playing some solid ball as well.

Perhaps the overarching theme of this season is the Giants quest for another “even year” title. At this point, most baseball fans are probably rooting for San Francisco to finally slip up and that’s what they’ve been seeing over the second half of the season. It will be an interesting development if MLB’s best team at the All-Star break suffers one of the biggest collapses in MLB history. Of course, if there is a chance for another meaningful Bumgarner-Kershaw matchup, I don’t think that anybody would be opposed.

There are great storylines on both sides, but the Mets’ ability to keep chugging and the Giants’ potential collapse are what shift the verdict to the NL’s side.

Verdict: National League

Star Power

To end the criteria of what makes a great playoff race, let’s take a look at why many fans watch in the first place. People watch to see some of the world’s best players try to perform during some of the most important moments of their respective seasons. Stars may not single-handedly drive a team to the playoffs in MLB, but they certainly make the games much more exciting to watch.

When comparing the two leagues it seems like pitching dominates the National League while hitting is the calling card of the American League. There may not be a better trio of pitchers in baseball than Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner and Noah Syndergaard when they are on top of their games. What’s great about it is that all these starters are different, each bringing their own unique strengths to the mound. Kershaw has his nasty curveball, Bumgarner has his deceptiveness and Thor… well, he’s just a beast who can throw triple digits. Sure, there are still some good offensive pieces to watch for, but the mound brings out the best in the NL.

Pitching may not be completely eliminated in this AL Wild Card race, but there is no doubt that the excitement lies in the guys with the bats. Manny Machado and Josh Donaldson are at the least two of the three best players at their position. Each can do it all: defense, power, highlight reel plays – they have everything in their arsenal. Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa are both so young and dynamic as a middle infield tandem. Correa is still growing, but he has as much talent as anybody at shortstop. Seattle’s trio of boppers is something to keep an eye on. Not to mention that Miguel Cabrera is suiting up for the Tigers each and every day. The American League may not have the pitching that makes a casual fan tune in, but when these guys step into the batter’s box, all eyes are glued on the screen.

Both leagues have their stars, but the only problem is that in one league you can see their best play everyday, while in the the other they probably only have one more outing left in the season. I think you know where I’m going with this. The fun of a playoff race comes from the increased importance that every day brings. So being able to see the best of the best multiple times during a postseason push gives the edge to offense over defense as unfair as that may be.

Verdict: American League

Verdict-American League

MLB Wild Card Breakdown

Separation: National League

Teams Involved: American League

Schedule: American League

Storylines: National League

Star Power: American League

After analyzing all of the criteria it looks like the American League Wild Card race comes out on top in terms of which race is and will be more intriguing to follow along with.

More from Call to the Pen

This was not a landslide win by any means as the tightness in the National League Wild Card standings as well as some storylines surrounding the Mets and the Giants will make the race fun to watch. However, the fact that a couple more teams are involved in the American League race brings more intrigue to each and every day.

The race may not be as tight, but with the way the schedule is looking it is conceivable that we may have a photo finish. Plus, it will be fun to see some of MLB’s best hitters try to will their teams into October during the remaining days of the regular season.

Nonetheless, we as baseball fans are lucky enough that all four of MLB’s Wild Card spots remain up in the air with just under a week to play. In the end, the real winners are the fans that get to watch the playoff race unfold. Hopefully we will see some vintage moments along the way.

Next: Marlins Retire Fernandez's #16

Which Wild Card race are you more looking forward to? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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