We have one more month left until the playoffs and this is how I think it will all pan out.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AL EAST: Toronto Blue Jays (Currently: 76-57, Predicted: 94-68)
AL CENTRAL: Kansas City Royals (Currently: 81-51, Predicted: 98-64)
AL WEST: Houston Astros (Currently: 73-61, Predicted: 88-74)
AL WILD CARD 1: New York Yankees (Currently: 74-58, Predicted: 89-73)
AL WILD CARD 2: Texas Rangers (Currently: 70-62, Predicted: 87-75)
There are seven games remaining between the Yankees and Blue Jays and I think the Blue Jays will win 5 of those 7 and clinch the division before the last week of the season. After winning 3/4 against New York, they sweep Atlanta and win 2 of 3 from Boston increasing their lead to 4 games. They play New York next and win 2 of 3 and lead by 5 games with 10 to go. The Yankees end up with the first wild card and get ready for the Rangers. Toronto makes a run at the best record in the A.L., but the Royals continue their winning ways and get ready to play the wild card champions.
The A.L. West will be decided on the series of the season when Houston plays at Arizona and Texas plays a four-game home series against the Angels. I think the Astros come out on top, but barely. After a long 3-7 road trip to Oakland, Anaheim, and Arlington, the Astros fall out of first, but regain their lead after a 7-2 home stand against the same teams. The Astros have a 2.5 game lead going into their final 6 games that they nearly blow at Seattle. The Rangers gain 1.5 games, which puts them a game back with three to play. The Rangers end up losing 2 of 3 and so do the Astros as they clinch on the final day of the season.
Projected Playoffs
WILD CARD: Texas at New York
ALDS 1: Houston vs. Toronto
ALDS 2: Texas/New York vs. Kansas City
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NL EAST: New York Mets (Currently: 74-59, Predicted: 90-72)
NL CENTRAL: St. Louis Cardinals (Currently: 86-47, Predicted: 103-59)
NL WEST: Los Angeles Dodgers (Currently: 75-57, Predicted: 93-69)
NL WILD CARD 1: Pittsburgh Pirates (Currently: 79-52, Predicted: 96-66)
NL WILD CARD 2: Chicago Cubs (Currently, 75-57, Predicted 91-71)
The Mets, who have choked away big division leads in September, do not choke this time because the remaining schedule is easy. 6 games against Miami, 7 against Atlanta, 3 against Philadelphia, 4 against Cincinnati, and 6 against Washington, including 3 in the final series. The Nationals also have an easy schedule for the rest of the season; but, because both have easy ones, the Nationals are not able to catch up over the month of September. They split the 6 games between each other, but by the time the final series of the season is here, the Mets will have clinched the division making the series between the two unimportant.
The Cardinals have 6 more against Pittsburgh and Chicago and they win 8 of those 12 and clinch before the final week of the season. Pittsburgh plays well enough to get the home wild card game against the Cubs. This gives us a great match up between Arrieta and Cole.
After sweeping the Giants this past series, the Dodgers cruise to another NL West title.
Projected Playoffs
WILD CARD: Chicago at Pittsburgh
NLDS 1: New York vs. Los Angeles
NLDS 2: Chicago/Pittsburgh vs. St. Louis
Sources:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/index.jsp
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/index.jsp