The Pittsburgh Pirates are firmly back in contention for a Wild Card Spot.
As we head down the stretch of this 2016 season, there are currently four teams fighting for the final Wild Card spot, assuming that either the Dodgers or Giants occupy the first Wild Card spot. The St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Mets are all within three games of each other in the standings and it is likely that only one will reach the postseason.
Which one of these teams has the best shot of taking that final playoff spot? We handicap the field, starting with last year’s NL Central champions.
St. Louis Cardinals
Record: 62-56
Remaining Opponent Winning Percentage: .498
After splitting a four game series in Chicago against the Cubs over the weekend, St. Louis is currently tied with the Marlins for the last Wild Card spot. The Cardinals are fairly lucky to be where they are in the standings considering players like Aledmys Diaz, Matt Holliday, Matt Adams and Michael Wacha are shelved on the DL. With a record of 16-14 since the All-Star break, the Redbirds have stayed afloat putting themselves in a good position going down the stretch.
Why They’ll Make the Playoffs:
The Cardinals pitching staff has struggled lately posting an ERA of 4.76 since the All-Star break and 5.51 in the month of August. If they want to reach the postseason, St. Louis must get better contributions from their pitching staff starting with their ace, Adam Wainwright. Wainwright has been mostly mediocre this year but has been flat out bad in the second half. After a great July, the rightly has given up 15 earned runs in 13 innings pitched in August. He must turn it around and anchor this rotation for St. Louis to have any chance of playing October baseball.
Why They’ll Miss the Playoffs:
The Cardinals will not be able to overcome their injuries, plain and simple. The offense has been carrying the team as of late but it is hard to imagine the likes of Yadier Molina, Jedd Gyorko, and Brandon Moss being able to sustain their hot bats. Although they won’t have the toughest schedule down the stretch, St. Louis will run out of gas by the end of the season due to the offense coming back down to earth.
Next, we’ll hit the Big Apple to see if an old friend can taste the postseason for the fourth consecutive year.
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