The 162-game Major League Baseball Season has finally come to a close, and it did so in truly dramatic fashion. The heated wild card race between the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, and Arizona Diamondbacks had to be postponed due to Hurricane Helene causing severe rains in Atlanta, which delayed the Mets Braves games. These games would be played four days later as a doubleheader. If either the Mets or Braves swept the other team, the Diamondbacks would get a wild card spot. The Diamondbacks, who played in last year’s World Series, were forced to sit back and watch as the two teams split the series—preventing the Diamondbacks from reaching the postseason. As the wild card games wrap up, let’s look back at all the postseason teams and their regular season records.
The National League postseason bracket consists of the New York Mets, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Atlanta Braves, the San Diego Padres, the Philadelphia Phillies, and, of course, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The New York Mets
Grimace posing with Mets mascots. Photo by SNY.
The Mets were not supposed to make the postseason. Many fans believed that this year would be a rebuild year after starting the year 0-5. For the first half of the regular season, the team couldn’t get wins due to the non-synchronized nature of their bats and their pitchers. They could score 10 runs in a game and lose because the pitching would give up 11. The pitchers could give up one run, and the bats wouldn’t be able to score and win the game. The team was a mess and a failure. Then June came, and the Mets called a player-only meeting after a loss—and everything changed. Whatever was said at that meeting worked, as the Mets have the best record in the Major Leagues since June 1st. Fransico Lindor put the team on his back and carried them all while having an MVP caliber season. Energy-wise, there has never been a team like the 2024 Mets. Mets infielder Jose Iglesias dropped the hit single OMG mid-season and it quickly rose to popularity. It became his walkup song and the Mets’ official home run song. On June 12, McDonald’s character Grimace threw out the first pitch and the Mets went on a 7-game winning streak that fans attribute to Grimace. The Mets would finish the regular season with a record of 89-73. They surprised everybody and are the comeback story of the year.
The Milwaukee Brewers
Jackson Chourio. Photo by MLB.
The Brewers had a great regular season that conformed with fan expectations. They finished the regular season with a record of 93-69. Standout players include Jackson Chourio, Rhys Hoskins, and Willy Adames. Chourio is a candidate for the National League Rookie of the Year award. He had a batting average of .275 and an on-base percentage of .327. The Brewers have historically struggled in the postseason. They have lost in five consecutive playoff series since they swept the Colorado Rockies in the NLDS in 2018. This trend would continue in 2024 as they lost to the Mets in the Wildcard round, making that six straight postseason series losses.
The Atlanta Braves
Ronald Acuña Jr. ACL injury. Photo by AP News.
The Braves performed slightly below expectations this regular season, finishing with a record of 89-73. They lost a key player early in Ronald Acuña Jr., who sustained a right ACL tear which ended his season. The Braves still sported a stacked roster, including Matt Olson, Marcell Ozuna, Jorge Soler, Michael Harriss, Ozzie Albies, and Chris Sale. Sale led the league with 18 wins, 225 strikeouts, and a 2.38 ERA. These statistics will win him the pitching triple crown. He is the first-ever National League player to pitch a triple crown and only the second player ever. Unfortunately, he experienced back spasms that took him out at the very end of the season.
The San Diego Padres
The Padres performed to fan expectations this year, finishing the regular season with a record of 93-69. They arguably had the best starting rotation in the Major Leagues this season, sporting Yu Darvish, Dylan Cease, Joe Musgrove, and Michael King. They also have one of the best bullpens in baseball, including studs like Jeremiah Estrade, Tanner Scott, and so many more. The Padres also had great hitters, including Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arraez, Jackson Marril, and Manny Machado.
The Philidelphia Phillies
The Phillies had a great year, finishing with the second-best record in the major leagues at 95-67. They just were a good baseball team leading the National League East from day one. Their star-studded lineup included Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwaber, Trea Turner, Alec Bolm, Nick Castellanos, Taijuan Walker, and Zach Wheeler, just to name a few. Zach Wheeler led the team on the mound, pitching to a 2.57 ERA. This team was a post-season team from the start and is well-rested heading into the National League Division Series against the Mets.
The Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers were supposed to be and were the best team in Major League Baseball this year. They finished the regular season with a record of 98-64. Shohei Ohtani, Freedie Freeman Mookie Betts, and Teoscar Hernández lead the team on the offensive side. On the mound, Yoshinobu Yamamota, who was signed to a 12-year $325 million deal in the offseason, pitched to an ERA of 3. Ohtani is the clear National League MVP with a .310 batting average, a .390 on-base percentage, an OPS of 1.036, 59 stolen bases, 54 home runs, and 130 runs batted in. He is the first member of the 50-50 club with over 50 home runs and over 50 stolen bases this season. He will be the first-ever designated hitter to win the MVP.
The Detroit Tigers
The Tigers are the American League story of the season. They were sellers at the trade deadline after a terrible start to the year. They popped off in the second half of the season, finishing the year with a record of 86-76. Riley Greene leads the team in most offensive statistics with a batting average of e.262, 24 home runs, 74 RBIs, a slugging percentage at .479, and an OPS at .827. He carried this Tigers team to the postseason.
The Houston Astros
The Astros had their worst start to the season in over 50 years, starting 7-19. Many thought the Astros dynasty had finally ended. For context, the Astros have been in the ALCS every year since 2017, and in that time have been to 4 World Series and won 2 of them. Then the Astros righted the ship, going 49-29 in June, July, and August. Many injuries plagued the team throughout the season, including young hitter Kyle Tucker and veteran Yordan Alvarez. Former Astros ace Justin Verlander also spent much of the year on the injury list. The Astros finished the year 88-73.
The Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals had a good but not a great year. They finished the season with a record of 86-76. They have some great starting pitching with Seth Lugo, who had a 3 ERA, and Cole Ragans, who has a 3.14 ERA. At the plate, Bobby Wit Junior and Salvador Perez lead the team. Bobby Wit Junior had an MVP-caliber season with 32 home runs, 109 runs batted, 31 stolen bases, .332 batting average, and a .389 on base percentage. At the trade deadline, they bolstered their bullpen, which has been lights out since. Overall, they outperformed expectations.
The Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles started the year hot. They led the Yankees for much of the first half but got sloppy, allowing the Yankees to catch up and then pass them. Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Sontondare led the team offensively. Their bullpen was less than ideal, and they blew some games throughout the year. Overall, the Oriels had a great season, doing exactly what they were expected to do, finishing the year with a record of 91-71.
The Clevland Guardians
The Guardians outperformed expectations this season. They finished the year with a regular season record of 92- 69. They are a good baseball team through and through. Their standout players were Josh Naylor and José Ramírez.
The New York Yankees
The Yankees had a huge offseason last year, signing Juan Soto to a 1-year $17,100,000 contract; the rest is history. The dynamic duo of Juan Soto and Auron Judge propelled the team to a regular season record of 94-68. Judge will most likely be the American League MVP. He had a historic season with a .332 batting average, 58 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and 144 runs batted in. The Yankees were down starting pitcher Gerrit Cole for the first few months of the year. Cole was the team’s ace in 2023, winning the American League Cy Young Award. The team was able to pick up the slack and return to the postseason with the best record in the American League.
The Postseason
Postseason Picture as of 10/4/24. Image from MLB.
The wildcard games have just wrapped up, and the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, and the San Diego Padres move on to the Division Series. The Tigers ended the Houston Astros’ bid to be in and win their 7th straight ALDS. The Kansas City Royals defy the odds and sweep the Baltimore Orioles. The Mets beat the Brewers in comeback fashion in a winner-takes-all game three. During the 9th inning, Pete Alonso became the only player in Major League history to hit a go-ahead home run in the 9th inning in a winner-take-all post-season elimination game. The Padres made easy work of the Braves, sweeping them and moving on.
Looking ahead in the American League, the Tigers are set to play the Guardians, and the Royals are set to play the Yankees. In the National League, the Mets are up against the Phillies, and the Padres against the Dodgers.
All statistics from MLB.com and statcaster.
