MLB Sets 12-Team Playoff Schedule, Wild Card Round Starts Sept. 29

Q: Can Yordan Alvarez capture the elusive Triple Crown, or will a late-season slump ruin his historic American League campaign?

Yordan Alvarez can still win the American League Triple Crown, but it is no longer in his control and a late-season slump has clearly put the feat in jeopardy. The strongest evidence is in the category standings. The news summary says Alvarez still leads the AL in batting average at .313, but he trails Junior Caminero in home runs and Pete Alonso in RBIs. Other recent reporting paints the same picture: after leading all three categories earlier in the summer, Alvarez cooled sharply after Aug. 2, hitting just .242/.380/.383 over a 35-game stretch with only three homers and 12 RBIs. That slump erased what once looked like a comfortable cushion. The batting title remains his best path. Even during the downturn, Alvarez has stayed near the top because his overall contact quality remains elite, and he still owns one of the league’s best OPS marks. But the power categories are now the bigger obstacle. Caminero’s surge has overtaken him in homers, and Alonso has moved ahead in RBIs, where lineup context and opportunity matter as much as form. That means Alvarez’s chances depend on two things over the final stretch: a quick rebound in power production and some help from his rivals slowing down. If he heats up for even a week, he is talented enough to reclaim both leads. If the recent trend continues, the MVP case should survive, but the Triple Crown probably will not.

Q: Will Pete Crow-Armstrong's historic power-speed combo be enough to definitively snatch the NL MVP from a hobbled Shohei Ohtani?

Yes. At this stage, Pete Crow-Armstrong has the stronger NL MVP case, and Ohtani’s pitching shutdown has likely removed the edge that made him the favorite. Crow-Armstrong’s case is not just about a flashy power-speed line. He has paired historic production for the Cubs with elite defense at a premium position, something voters weigh heavily. He became the first Cub with consecutive 25-homer, 25-steal seasons, pushed beyond that into a 30-30 type profile, and has been among the league leaders in WAR. His .938 OPS, improved plate discipline, impact against left-handed pitching, and top-tier center-field defense make him a rare all-around candidate rather than just a highlight performer. Ohtani still has a serious résumé. Even with the knee issue, he remained one of the league’s best hitters, and before shutting down on the mound he had posted a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts. If he had maintained that two-way value through September, he likely would have remained the clear favorite. But the injury changed the race. Reports now indicate he is focusing on hitting only and is not expected to pitch again this season, which sharply reduces the separation he once had over the field. That leaves voters comparing Crow-Armstrong’s elite five-tool season against Ohtani’s excellent but less complete final profile. Unless Ohtani finishes with an overwhelming offensive surge in the final days, Crow-Armstrong’s blend of power, speed, defense and full-season value should be enough to take the award.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 22

Sept. 29 opens MLB's Wild Card round, starting a 12-team postseason that runs through a World Series scheduled for Oct. 23-31.
Eight teams will play best-of-three Wild Card series, while the top two seeds in each league skip directly to the Division Series beginning Oct. 3.
Los Angeles enters October chasing a third straight title at +220, with Milwaukee at +600 and the Yankees and Rays at +800 among the main challengers.
Injuries and unsettled races still cloud the bracket: Shohei Ohtani's status is a concern, Aaron Judge is out at least until the regular-season finale, and AL division races remain tight.
The NL picture is clearer, with the Cubs, Padres and Phillies battling for wild-card positioning while Arizona sits four games back.