Against all odds, the American League Central is still aligned to send three teams to the postseason for the first time in the division’s history.
But not before two of those teams produced pitiable September collapses.
The Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins had a lock on the Nos. 2 and 3 wild-card spots all month – heck, all second half, really, with the Twins briefly threatening the Cleveland Guardians for the division lead. That’s all gone now in the wake of both clubs’ hideous play the past week-plus.
The Royals, aiming for their first playoff berth since 2015, have lost seven in a row. They’re tied with the surprising Detroit Tigers for the No. 2/3 wild card, though the Royals have the tiebreaker. The Twins have dropped 10 of their last 15 games, and, after starting the month within 3½ games of first place, are now out of the playoff picture altogether.
Those two, unsurprisingly, are the biggest losers in this week’s MLB power rankings.
Not all is lost. Minnesota (81-75) will finish with a six-game homestand, against Miami and Baltimore, with the latter possibly not having much to play for if it’s nailed down the top wild-card spot. Kansas City (82-74) hits the road, with three games each at Washington and Atlanta.
A look at our updated rankings:
1. New York Yankees (+1)
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (+1)
3. Philadelphia Phillies (-2)
4. San Diego Padres (+2)
5. Cleveland Guardians (-)
6. Milwaukee Brewers (-2)
7. Baltimore Orioles (-)
8. Arizona Diamondbacks (-)
9. New York Mets (+4)
10. Atlanta Braves (-)
11. Houston Astros (-)
12. Detroit Tigers (+2)
13. Kansas City Royals (-4)
14. Minnesota Twins (-1)
15. Chicago Cubs (-)
16. Seattle Mariners (-)
17. Boston Red Sox (-)
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Rafael Devers, who hit just four homers in his last 166 at-bats, finally shuts it down due to bum shoulder.
18. St. Louis Cardinals (-)
19. Tampa Bay Rays (+1)
20. San Francisco Giants (+1)
One more start for Blake Snell to add some zeros to his offseason haul.
21. Cincinnati Reds (-2)
22. Toronto Blue Jays (-)
23. Pittsburgh Pirates (-)
24. Texas Rangers (-)
25. Washington Nationals (-)
26. Oakland Athletics (-)
27. Los Angeles Angels (-)
28. Colorado Rockies (+1)
29. Miami Marlins (-1)
30. Chicago White Sox (-)
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Royals, Twins collapse in AL wild-card standings