Crucial September MLB Series that could swing playoff races

August is known as the dog days of summer, but September is when teams get a second wind with the finish line in sight. The season’s final month will feature high intensity baseball from teams looking to qualify for the postseason. There are a few MLB series that will go a long way towards deciding who makes it to the playoffs.

Both Atlanta and Los Angeles are virtually guaranteed to make the playoffs, as has seemingly been the case for many years. However, this clash at the beginning of September could help sort out which team has the best record in the National League. The team with the top mark in each league gets homefield advantage until the World Series.

It’s been something of a running narrative amongst Yankees supporters that they feel they actually made the 2017 World Series because the Astros cheated to get there. It’s an intriguing line of thinking, but one that doesn’t add a ring to their ledger. New York will need a strong performance against a Houston team that has had their number.

The wild card race in the National League jumbled, which makes games pitting the involved teams against one another critical. The Cubs have been surprisingly competitive this year, and their front office added pieces at the trade deadline. San Francisco has quietly been in the mix for a postseason berth after a difficult start to the season.

The Marlins have taken advantage of a golden opportunity in 2023, something they’ve been building towards for a long time. Miami is a dangerous team, having added closer David Robertson at the trade deadline. They also feature arguably the best pure hitter in the game with Luis Arraez. The Brewers will likely still be looking to cling to a tenuous National League Central division lead.

It feels like the Rays and Orioles have taken turns asserting their dominance this season. Tampa Bay got off to a scalding hot start, one that many thought would cement their place atop the American League East. Baltimore has stormed back, as the performance of their young talent has been one of baseball’s best stories.

This should be a fun matchup between two teams that really want to change the narrative about their franchises. Seattle and Texas have some of the sport’s best players. A matchup involving Max Scherzer on the mound and Julio Rodriguez at the plate with everything on the line is something to behold.

The Red Sox have struggled to find consistency this year, but remarkably find themselves in the midst of the American League wild card picture. If Boston can hang tough throughout September, this series will be massive for them. It could also be huge for Tampa Bay, who may be looking to hold Baltimore off for the division.

This clash of National League Central foes could have everything on the line. The division could still be up for grabs, and the result of this series could also determine who gets a wild card slot. If this matchup does end up being as important as it could be, it’ll be fascinating to see which pitchers each team lines up to start these do or die contests.