September is here and that means MLB teams have one thing on their mind – the playoffs. With postseason baseball just one month away, every game matters more. Here are 3 pivotal series where a single win, a single run, or even a single hit could go a long way to deciding which teams earn a shot at glory in October and which teams head home heavy-hearted:
New York Yankees v Minnesota Twins (5–8 September)
After a blistering start to the season that saw them running away with the AL East, the New York Yankees have cooled off significantly and now find themselves just 5 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays. Over in the AL Central, a Minnesota Twins side led by Carlos Correa is tied at the top with the Cleveland Guardians in a division race set to go down to the wire. Between 5–8 September, the Yankees and Twins will meet at Yankee Stadium, and with both sides still hoping to win their respective divisions, it’s shaping up to be the kind of high-stakes, high-quality series that September baseball is all about.
Toronto Blue Jays v Tampa Bay Rays (12–15 September)
The Yankees might get all the attention in the AL East, but it would be unwise to write off the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays. As members of what is collectively the best division in the American League, both teams still have a chance to make the playoffs as wild cards, or – if their pinstriped rivals in New York slip up – even win the division. With the Rays and Jays just 5 games and 6 games behind the Yankees respectively, the series involving the 2 sides at Rogers Centre between 12–15 September could have a major influence on how the playoff picture looks come October.
Atlanta Braves v New York Mets (30 September – 2 October)
It’s been over 20 years since an MLB team has achieved the near-impossible feat of winning back-to-back World Series, but the Atlanta Braves are making a go of it. Surprise MLB Champions in 2021, the Braves have one of the best records in the National League going into September, and lie just a single game behind the New York Mets. The Mets meanwhile will see this year as their best opportunity to win the Fall Classic since 1986, and Pete Alonso's side will not relinquish their place atop the NL East without a fight. After these 2 division rivals do battle at Truist Park between 30 September – 2 October, the NL East could have a last-gasp new leader, or a runaway winner.
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