October or Bust: MLB's Wild September Sets the Stage for Postseason Glory

As the calendar flips to September, we’re entering the final weeks of the regular season and gearing up for the postseason. There are plenty of storylines to follow in the coming weeks, with much left to be decided across MLB. Here’s a breakdown of everything to watch for in the final calendar month, from postseason battles to award races to stat chases and more.

The following statistics are entering Monday's games. Team records and games back are entering Tuesday.

Playoff Picture

The playoff picture is largely set at the top, but the Wild Card races remain tight. At 85-54, the Brewers have baseball’s best record by a whopping five games over the next-best team, the 80-59 Tigers. Milwaukee holds a 5.5-game lead over the Cubs, while the Tigers are nine games ahead of Kansas City, and the Phillies have a six-game cushion over the Mets.

It's in the American and National League West divisions where the most intense battles for the top spot are taking place. The Dodgers hold a 2.5-game lead over the Padres, with a crucial 9-4 record against San Diego this season giving them the tiebreaker advantage. In the AL West, the Astros have a three-game lead over the Mariners, while the AL East race is just as tight, with the Blue Jays holding a 2.5-game lead over the surging Yankees.

The Wild Card picture is slightly more certain, but not without some drama. The Mariners, in possession of the third American League Wild Card spot, have a 1.5-game edge over the Rangers and a 2.5-game lead over the Royals. In the National League, the Mets are in the third Wild Card position, four games ahead of the Reds.

Major Awards Races

AL MVP: The debate for the American League MVP will be a fascinating one. The Yankees’ Aaron Judge is looking for his second straight MVP and third of his career as he enters September with an MLB-leading 1.117 OPS and 7.9 Wins Above Replacement (FanGraphs), along with 43 home runs. Seattle’s Cal Raleigh is a strong contender, not far behind Judge with 7.3 WAR, 50 home runs as a switch-hitter, and excellent defensive skills behind the plate.

NL MVP: In the National League, Shohei Ohtani looks poised to join Barry Bonds (2001-04) as the only players to win three consecutive MVPs. Ohtani, who won in 2023 with the Angels and again last season with the Dodgers, could win yet again this year thanks to his .986 OPS, 45 home runs, and 17 stolen bases. He's also posted a 4.18 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 32.1 innings pitched. Ohtani faces competition from Kyle Schwarber (49 home runs, .948 OPS), Trea Turner (6.0 WAR, .802 OPS, and an NL-leading 169 hits), and Pete Crow-Armstrong (5.2 WAR, 28 homers, 31 stolen bases).

Cy Young Awards: The American League Cy Young race is a tight contest between Tigers ace Tarik Skubal (2.18 ERA, 216 strikeouts, 27 walks, 6.3 WAR) and Red Sox lefty Garrett Crochet (2.40 ERA, 214 strikeouts, 5.4 WAR). On the National League side, there's less drama, as Paul Skenes looks to be in firm control of his first Cy Young Award. Skenes has an MLB-leading 2.05 ERA in 167 innings, and his 5.5 WAR is second only to Skubal. Cristopher Sánchez is also having an excellent season with a 2.66 ERA and 5.2 WAR.

Rookie of the Year: In the AL, A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz, who debuted in late April, has become the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year with a 1.033 OPS and 27 home runs in just 94 games. In the NL, the favorites are the Brewers’ Isaac Collins (.796 OPS, 2.8 WAR in 113 games) and Atlanta’s Drake Baldwin (.813 OPS, 15 homers in 100 games).

Stat Chases and Milestones

Batting Titles & Home Run Kings: Aaron Judge is leading the Majors in OPS, batting average (.324), on-base percentage (.443), and slugging percentage (.674). While a Triple Crown seems unlikely, he's in a strong position to win his first career batting title, holding an 18-point advantage over Bo Bichette. On the power front, Cal Raleigh's 50 home runs lead the Majors, but Kyle Schwarber is right on his heels with 49. Schwarber also leads MLB with 119 RBIs, nine more than the next-closest player, Pete Alonso. Meanwhile, Ohtani has scored 124 runs, 14 more than Judge, and is chasing a rare 150-run season, a feat last accomplished by Jeff Bagwell in 2000.

Historic Feats: Cal Raleigh's 50 home runs are already the most by a catcher. He's now chasing Mickey Mantle's switch-hitting home run record of 54, a mark he looks set to clear. Mike Trout, currently at 398 home runs, is on the brink of joining the 400-homer club this month, a group that only includes one other active player, Giancarlo Stanton (446). Salvador Perez could also reach two significant milestones: he is just four home runs away from 300 for his career and seven RBIs away from 1,000.