MLB power rankings: Setting up the final week

Two teams have locked up division titles and five have secured postseason berths.

The Padres could join the October-bound bunch as soon as Monday, but the objective is clear heading into the last week of the season.

Start playing better.

The Padres are 9-10 in September after splitting a six-game road trip through New York (Mets) and Chicago (Mets), rank 18th in OPS (.711) this month and 23rd in rotation ERA (4.89) this month.

That’s not going to make for a very busy October if the Padres don’t turn that around.

And they know it.

“Creating momentum,” Fernando Tatis Jr. said of this week’s goal. “But after we’re in, it’s about now being smart. Take those days to get everybody on the right spot to go to the postseason and just go crazy.”

1   |   Milwaukee Brewers (95-61, Last week: 1)

The Brewers have baseball’s best record, but no wonder they feel like underdogs as the playoffs arrive. Feels like they just got Brandon Woodruff rolling after his shoulder injury and now his postseason is in doubt with a lat strain.

2   |   Philadelphia Phillies (92-64, LW: 2)

The Brewers’ grip on home-field advantage throughout the postseason is hardly safe. They’ve got a three-game cushion on the Phillies, but Philly hosts the Marlins and Twins to end the regular season and the Brewers will travel to San Diego and finish at home against the hard-charging Reds.

3   |   Toronto Blue Jays (90-66, LW: 3)

The Blue Jays on Sunday were the first AL team to cinch a postseason berth, but they’re only up two games on the Yankees.

4   |   New York Yankees (88-68, LW: 5)

The Blue Jays own the season tiebreaker, but the Yankees are 20 games over .500 for the first time and finish at home against the lowly White Sox and Orioles.

5  |   Chicago Cubs (88-68, LW: 4)

Talk about backing in: The Cubs are all but assured the NL’s top wild-card spot, but they’ve lost four in a row heading into the final week against the Mets and the Cardinals.

6   |   Los Angeles Dodgers (88-68, LW: 6)

Depending on how this week shakes out, this could be the Dodgers’ worst division-winning team since 2008 (84-78). Blame the bullpen. Dodgers starters have a 2.71 ERA this month (2nd) and the bullpen has a 4.97 ERA (22nd).

7   |   Seattle Mariners (87-69, LW: 9)

A weekend sweep of the Astros has the Mariners eyeing their first AL West crown since their sweet 116-win season in 2001.

8   |   Boston Red Sox (85-71, LW: 8)

No easy way in: The Red Sox are up one game on the Astros-Guardians logjam for the AL’s last wild-card spot and will play at the Blue Jays and host the Tigers this final week.

9   |   San Diego Padres (85-71, LW: 10)

So nice for the Padres to hold off on their postseason celebration until this homestand. Xander Bogaerts is expected back from the IL on Monday.

10   |   Cleveland Guardians (84-72, LW: 13)

A 10-game winning streak was snapped Sunday, but Cleveland has forced its way into the playoff picture. The Guardians are one game behind fast-sinking Detroit in the AL Central and tied with the Astros for the AL’s last wild-card spot.

The rest

• 11   |   Detroit Tigers (85-71, LW: 7)
• 12   |   Houston Astros (84-72, LW: 12)
• 13   |   Cincinnati Reds (80-76, LW: 16)
• 14   |   New York Mets (80-76, LW: 14)
• 15   |   Texas Rangers (79-77, LW: 11)
• 16   |   Arizona Diamondbacks (79-77, LW: 17)
• 17   |   Kansas City Royals (78-78, LW: 18)
• 18   |   Tampa Bay Rays (76-80, LW: 19)
• 19   |   San Francisco Giants (77-79, LW: 15)
• 20   |   St. Louis Cardinals (76-80, LW: 20)
• 21   |   Atlanta Braves (73-83, LW: 24)
• 22   |   Miami Marlins (76-80, LW: 23)
• 23   |   Sacramento Athletics (73-83, LW: 21)
• 24   |   Baltimore Orioles (73-83, LW: 22)
• 25   |   Pittsburgh Pirates (67-69, LW: 26)
• 26   |   Los Angeles Angels (70-86, LW: 25)
• 27   |   Minnesota Twins (67-89, LW: 27)
• 28   |   Chicago White Sox (58-98, LW: 28)
• 29   |   Washington Nationals (64-82, LW: 29)
• 30   |   Colorado Rockies (43-113, LW: 30)