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We’re right down to the ultimate days of the 2026 season. The leaders of solely two divisions maintain a lead of fewer than 4 video games. The Padres and Diamondbacks are duking it out for the ultimate Nationwide League Wild Card spot. The same race within the American League is right down to Cleveland, Toronto, and Texas. So, it will appear, the drama is restricted.
However each workforce in line to play for October is wanting forward. In some circumstances, they’re easing up a bit, resting place gamers and lining up their beginning pitchers for Wild Card and Division Collection matchups. On the similar time, although, they’re making an attempt to win ballgames. They don’t need to let a snug lead slip by their fingers. They usually’re avoiding heading into the event on a shedding notice. Final yr, of the eight groups to advance to the Division Collection, the one workforce with a shedding document in September was the Tigers, who had a 7-17 faceplant throughout the month. They misplaced their Division Collection to the Mariners, three video games to 2.
However which Division Collection contender had the most effective document in September? That’d be the 18-7 Yankees, who have been bounced by the eventual AL champion Blue Jays, three video games to 1.
The yr earlier than, the Yankees, at 15-11, tied for the second-worst document among the many eight Division Collection groups. They made it to the World Collection. The yr earlier than that, neither the 15-14 Rangers nor the 15-13 Diamondbacks set the world on fireplace throughout the Championship Season’s last month, and so they recorded the final out of the season. (Ketel Marte, strikeout wanting, Josh Sborz on the mound.)
On this decade, the workforce with the most effective, the 23-7 2021 Giants, received eradicated within the Division Collection. The workforce with the third-worst document, the 14-17 Phillies, superior to the World Collection towards the Astros.
Does a workforce’s document in September, then, actually matter? Does enjoying effectively carry into the playoffs? Does enjoying poorly (or, since these are all fairly good groups, mediocrely) spell doom?
