This week, our MLB.com Power Rankings revealed a surprising trend: all of the top six teams in baseball are from the National League, listed in this order: Dodgers, Padres, Phillies, Mets, Cubs, and Giants.
This is significant because only six teams from each league qualify for the playoffs, giving these six teams an early advantage for those postseason spots. If these rankings remain the same at the end of the season, the strong start in the first two weeks will provide a solid explanation.
Could another team disrupt this top six? Let’s examine five National League teams that are most likely to join the playoff conversation by the end of the season.
Each team mentioned includes their current record and postseason chances (according to FanGraphs) before Wednesday’s games.
Postseason odds: 63.8%
Current Issues: The Braves are struggling. They started the season with seven consecutive losses and currently rank 25th in runs scored. The pitching has also faltered with a 4.46 ERA, tied for 24th in MLB. Notable players like Michael Harris II and Matt Olson are underperforming, and Jurickson Profar is serving an 80-game suspension. Plus, Ronald Acuña Jr. is still sidelined.
Path to Playoffs: Fortunately, Acuña is nearing a return, and Spencer Strider made his comeback and looked promising. The Braves have been improving offensively with Sean Murphy healthy and Austin Riley performing well. After their tough start, they went .500 in the following ten games against solid competition before a setback on Wednesday. This team is still filled with talent but needs everyone back on the field.
Prognosis: Remember, even with injuries last season, Atlanta still reached the playoffs in 2024. The return of Acuña and Strider could reignite the team, which had a rough beginning. It would be surprising if the Braves don’t make it to October.
