FIN de Semana

 As the Major League Baseball Regular Season comes to it's finish this weekend (well, kind of 🍑🍎), it's been crunch time for numerous Teams (some not even in the Playoff Race), all as October draws ever so closer. Both the Dodgers & Yankees clinched their Divisions last night at Home, over the Clubs just beneath them in Standings no less in the Padres & Orioles. 

While there's not much surprise in that L.A & the Yanks are headed to October once again, the same can't be said about Detroit and Kansas City. I don't think many people had the Tigers & Royals on their Postseason bingo cards when the Year started, yet both have magic numbers of just 1 to clinch American League Wild Cards. All while the Marlins of all Teams lent a very big hand to both Clubs this week.

The Minnesota Twins, last year's A.L Central Division Winner, entered the mid week Series vs the Fish just a Game out of a Wild Card spot. Now, the Twinkies will need nothing short of a miracle to reach the Postseason after the Marlins took 2 out 3 in Minnesota.

Reminiscent to 2007, when a 90 Loss Marlins Team took 5 out of 6 from both Chicago & New York, including directly knocking the Mets out (in what went down as arguably the biggest collapse in Baseball History). Or in 2022, when the 92 Loss Fish at the time, took 3 of 4 from the Milwaukee Brewers in Wisconsin. This '24 100 Loss Marlins Team may have just finished off the Twins Playoff Hopes this week.

We mentioned the Marlins have played better baseball in the 2nd Half, going 26-37 and with practically a new Roster. This, after going 33-63 before the All-Star Break. The Fightin' Fish will put a bow on the Season north of the border vs the Blue Jays in Toronto wrapping things up on Sunday.

The A's finished off their Home schedule yesterday, playing their final Game in Oakland in the process. As Athletics fans bid adieu to the Coliseum in a Win/Series Win over the defending World Champion Texas Rangers. 

The Rangers won't be participating in October Baseball a year after Winning it all, becoming the first defending Champion since the Washington Nationals in 2020 to miss the Postseason. Though coincidentally, Arlington was the sight of that 2020 World Series between the Dodgers & Rays during the pandemic.

No Covid, but rather mother nature did push back the final 2 Games of the Mets/Braves Series this week, thanks to Hurricane Helene. Atlanta, who finds themselves a Game out of the final National League Wild Card, will host the Mets (who stake claim to one of those last remaining Playoff spots) in a Doubleheader Monday if necessary.

Ya see, it's a crazy time, and not just weather wise, but also in Baseball.