Predicting the division champions and wild-card teams in the MLB

The MLB season is almost over as we have now entered the month of September. There are still many questions that need to find an answer in the final three weeks of the regular season. Who will be the division champions? Who will be the wild-card teams? Let's have a look at how I think everything will be played out at the end.

American League East champions: Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are currently enjoying a comfortable 8.5 games lead on the New York Yankees with a 98-46 record. The two teams will play against each other six more times until the end of the season, including the final three games of the regular season at Fenway Park. The Red Sox should take these six games against their rivals to clinch the AL East and also the number one seed for the American League playoffs. They are the best team in the MLB and there is no doubt that they will win their division for the third consecutive year unless a major collapse ensues.

American League Central champions: Cleveland Indians

The Cleveland Indians will be crowned champions of this division without even forcing. They had no competition this year and they are 15.5 games ahead of the Minnesota Twins who are second and are playing 12 games under .500.

The Indians could clinch the division alater this week. Their magic number to clinch is only 5 against the Twins. With the advantage of clinching so early, they will be able to rest some of their best players and pitchers to arrive in the postseason healthy. This could make a huge difference going into October and especially if they face the Houston Astros in the Division Series.

American League West champions: Houston Astros

The Houston Astros were supposed to sail in first place and win this division very easily in 2018. They got an unexpected challenge with the surge of the Oakland Athletics since the beginning of July. The Astros have a small lead of only 2.5 games in first place and nothing is played yet in this division.

The Astros and the As won't face each other again this season, but Houston has a favorable schedule until the end with series against the Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Baltimore Orioles. Everyone is back healthy in the Astros lineup after many injuries to their star players earlier in the month of August and the team is playing much better. Houston will win the division over the As.

American League wild-card teams: New York Yankees vs Oakland Athletics

The New Yankees are having a fantastic season and they might win 100 games but they will not win the division because the Boston Red Sox do even better. They will have to play in the AL wild-card game against a very dangerous Oakland team who is one of the best in the American League since the start of July.

This should give us a great game but the biggest question will be who are gonna be the starting pitchers for both teams? Luis Severino would have been the unanimous choice but he is really struggling since two months. For Oakland, their number one starter Sean Manaea is on the injury list and he likely won't be available for this game.

National League East division champions: Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves really surprised everyone in 2018. We were expecting them to contend next season in 2019, but the emergence of young stars players like Ronal Acuna Jr and Ozzie Albies really put the team ahead of his time in the East division. The disappointing season of the Washington Nationals also helped the Braves a lot this season.

The lead of the Braves on the Philadelphia Phillies is currently of 4.5 games with three weeks to go. The two teams will face each other seven more times until October. This will allow Atlanta to locked the division crown and return to the postseason for the first time since 2013.

National League Central champions: Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are currently just 2.0 games ahead in first place in a three teams race for the National League Central division title. The Milwaukee Brewers and the Saint-Louis Cardinals are pushing the Cubs to play their best every game.

The Cubs will face these two teams three times each until the end and this will obviously determine everything. I think the Cubs will find a way to stay first and advance to the division series. They have the best lineup of the three teams and the addition of Cole Hamels in the starting rotation have made them even better.

National League West champions: Los Angeles Dodgers

The most interesting and the most difficult division to predict is really the National League West. We are now in the middle of a three teams race separated by only 2.5 games with three weeks to go! This is extremely hard to see who will finish where and the three teams will still play against one another until the end of the calendar.

A tiebreaker game for first place for two or even the three teams is also very possible at this point. At the end of the day, I think the Los Angeles Dodgers will find a way to sneak into first place simply because they have the best lineup. They are the National League Champions and they have so much experience. Dave Roberts is an awesome manager and he will find a way to motivate his guys enough.

National League wild-card teams: Milwaukee Brewers vs Colorado Rockies

The Brewers won't catch the Chicago Cubs for first place in the Central division. They will finish second and they will be the second wild-card team. The first wild-card team will be the Colorado Rockies who will find themselves playing in this game for the second consecutive year.

The game will take place at Coors Field and the Rockies will clearly be favorite to win this one in my opinion. Having these two teams playing in the wild-card game also mean that some great teams like the Saint-Louis Cardinals and the Arizona Diamondbacks will miss the postseason.

Edited by Sripad