We have officially hit crunch time in the 2014 MLB season, as the month of August comes to a close and teams have roughly 30 games left to secure a spot in the postseason.
In the National League, seven teams still boast a winning record, and the Miami Marlins and Cincinnati Reds are hanging on the fringe of contention as well.
Over in the American League, things are much more jumbled as nine teams are above .500, and two division races, the AL Central and West, are as separated by fewer than two games. The stacked AL West makes things interesting. The No. 2 team in that division—whether it’s the Angels or A’s—appears to be a lock for the No. 2 wild-card spot, leaving the rest of the pack battling it out for one slot.
As we take a close look at each contender’s remaining schedules, as well as their recent performances both on a team and individual level, it’s clear that there are a few clubs that are headed for rough waters.
Here are the three MLB playoff contenders walking into September collapses.