Team that that will be most missed from the playoffs<\/p>\n
The Pirates may have been abysmal again but have remained appointment viewing thanks to Paul Skenes, whose highlight reels make you question physics. It\u2019s not just his raw pace, throwing 100mph+ deep into games, but his mastery of late-moving variations that mean batters can\u2019t pick whether it\u2019s a sweeper or a splinker until it\u2019s already behind them. Alan Evans<\/p>\n
The Astros. They\u2019d made the playoffs for nine straight years, winning a couple of World Series, four American League pennants and seven AL West titles. Sure, they were villains on merit<\/a>, but gravity-defying dynasties like Houston\u2019s only make for richer postseason narratives. Bryan Armen Graham<\/p>\n Well, these days, it\u2019s hard to miss any team because just under half of them make the playoffs. That said, the Orioles have great young talent and a fanbase starving for a winner. When Camden Yards is full and buzzing it\u2019s one of the best atmospheres in North American sports. Their 2025 has to be considered one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory, unless you\u2019re a Mets fan of course. David Lengel<\/p>\n High seed at risk of going out early<\/p>\n The Brewers surged to the best record in baseball (96-65) with an astonishing summer after having been 25-28 on 24 May. But their momentum slowed in September, and with the new extended wildcard format giving the best teams a five-day break, that may be enough to knock them off their rhythm and send them home early. AE<\/p>\n The Brewers could be vulnerable. The NL Central champions have come back to earth after the 14-game win streak that vaulted them to the best record in baseball. There are questions over the fitness of closer Trevor Megill and they\u2019ll have a tricky NLDS draw with the Padres or Cubs after a five-day layoff. BAG<\/p>\n That has to be the Tigers, who are facing a Guardians team that came out of nowhere to capitalize on a historic Detroit collapse<\/a>. Cleveland\u2019s recent stretch of allowing just 32 earned runs in 19 games was otherworldly, and it\u2019s helped earn them three home games v Detroit. There\u2019s only one Tarik Skubal pitching for the Tigers, so that means they\u2019re in trouble. DL<\/p>\n William Contreras and the Milwaukee Brewers finished the regular season with the best record in the majors. Photograph: John Fisher\/Getty ImagesDark horse to win<\/p>\n The Padres are used to being overlooked in favor of their more glamorous neighbors in Los Angeles, but they have a dangerous core led by Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr, and the bullpen\u2019s 3.06 ERA is by far the best in baseball. If they can keep games close early on, they will be hard to shake off. AE<\/p>\n The Mariners are the lone major league team to have never reached a World Series much less won one. They have a strong chance of finally breaking that hoodoo thanks to the emergence of rookie sensation Cal Raleigh and proven October commodity Randy Arozarena. BAG<\/p>\n