Now that the MLB trade deadline has passed and rosters are finally set, the final push to the postseason has begun. Just seven weeks remain in the regular season, but as contenders prepare for the home stretch, they still have major questions to answer before the postseason begins.
Here’s one key question for every contender over the final seven weeks of the season.
Chicago White Sox: Do they have enough starting pitching to win the division?The White Sox are positioned to do something they haven't done since 2021: win the AL Central. But to do so, they’ll need to get more from their starting pitching down the stretch. Chicago’s biggest question in the second half is whether their young rotation can pitch well enough to hold off the surging Detroit Tigers and a hungry AL Central.
Starting pitching was one of the Sox’s main priorities at the trade deadline, which is why they added veteran right-hander Luis Castillo. But even with that veteran addition and right-hander Sean Burke being one of the American League’s breakout starters, the Sox will need more from their group to win the division and reach the postseason.
New York Yankees: Can they rely on their health?The Yankees are putting a lot of hope in getting back to full strength before the end of the season. And while their star trio of Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton and, most importantly, Aaron Judge are all on the mend, time is not on the Bronx Bombers’ side with seven weeks to go.
Even after the stars return, there’s no guarantee the Yankees will get normal levels of production from them, particularly from Judge and Stanton. Judge has not played in a game since Memorial Day, and Stanton’s most recent plate appearance came way back in early April. Even for players of their stature, expecting them to quickly get back to their slugging ways might be foolish.
But the reality is the Yankees’ offense desperately needs the slug in the lineup to return. Since the first day of Judge’s absence on June 1, the Yankees rank just 27th in runs scored and 28th in OPS. Rookie call-up George Lombard Jr. has injected some fresh energy into the lineup, but ultimately, this team is holding its breath on the health of its veterans.
Boston Red Sox: Are they this year’s team of destiny?The Red Sox are the best story in baseball this season. Their remarkable comeback from disaster following the firing of manager Alex Cora to being one of the best teams in the sport over the past seven weeks has been unprecedented. They’ve put together 15-game and nine-game winning streaks this summer, and they’re playing at well over a .700 clip since July 1.
When a team goes on a run like Boston has done this year, it’s clear it has the makings of something special. Now that they’ve gotten themselves in postseason position, the stars are seemingly aligning for Boston to continue its magical season in the playoffs. And with Roman Anthony continuing to make progress and left-hander Garrett Crochet not far behind, the Red Sox should have reinforcements on the way that could make them even more dangerous come October.
Chicago Cubs: Are they built to win the National League?No team did more for its playoff hopes at the trade deadline than the Chicago Cubs, who addressed virtually all their needs. And with a new-look rotation and more arms getting healthy, Chicago now has the depth a contender needs to make a playoff push.
The Cubs’ offense has also seen a rebirth in the second half, with Pete Crow-Armstrong’s MVP-caliber season bringing it all together. Chicago has the makings of a roster built to win in October, so after a disappointing exit to the rival Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS last season, can the Cubs change their fortunes in 2026?
If their roster tells you anything, it’s that the Cubs are all-in to make their deepest run in the postseason since 2017.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Can they flip the switch for a third straight year?They’ve been the pick to win the 2026 World Series even since they hoisted the trophy following Game 7 in Toronto. And while on paper the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers have a roster that should run through the rest of the National League, especially after the addition of Tarik Skubal, their challenge is one that few teams face.
When you win as much as the Dodgers have over the past five years, it can be harder to flip the switch. Quite frankly, the Dodgers look bored lately, knowing that their season really starts once the calendar flips to October. In recent weeks, even manager Dave Roberts has implored his group to play with urgency.
The past two seasons, the Dodgers were able to turn it on and let their talent carry them in the postseason. The question now is whether they can do that for a third season. Not to mention that with this team, the health of the starting rotation is never a sure thing.
Milwaukee Brewers: Can regular-season success translate to postseason glory?When it comes to the regular season, the Brewers thrive. They have the front-runner for the NL Cy Young Award in Jacob Misiorowski, and on top of that, they continue to show that they can be one of baseball’s best teams despite being in one of its smallest markets. This season, the Brewers are top five in batting average, runs scored, team ERA and strikeouts on the mound.
But regular-season success is nothing new for the Brewers; they’ve done this plenty of times in recent years. The next step for Milwaukee is getting that success to translate to October. Milwaukee made its deepest run in the postseason since 2018 last year but ultimately was swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS.
One thing that is almost always true in the playoffs is that teams that slug usually win. Ranking 30th in MLB in homers, that’s just not in the Brewers’ DNA. So while the Brewers have figured out how to get to the postseason, figuring out how to succeed once there is going to be their challenge over the final seven weeks.
Can the Padres stay hot? Do the Phillies have enough? Will the Tigers make the playoffs without Skubal? Only time will tell.Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo SportsPhiladelphia Phillies: Do they have enough to make one more run?The Phillies have been perennial NL contenders since 2022. But this season, they are no lock to make the postseason, as they’re now in a battle with Arizona and San Diego for a wild-card spot. Despite their mostly consistent play since June, the Phillies are 10-14 since the All-Star break, and the Padres’ recent hot streak has increased the pressure.
For a Phillies core that continues to get older while leaning on big names such as Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner, it’s fair wonder how many opportunities they have left. The star power in both the rotation and the lineup gives Philly an advantage. But missing the postseason this year would feel like their window coming to a close.
Atlanta Braves: Will their inability to add starting pitching cost them?The Braves have been one of the most consistent teams in baseball this season. Not only have they held firm control of the NL East since the beginning of the season, but they’ve also reclaimed their status as World Series contenders. But if there’s one area where the Braves are susceptible, it’s their starting pitching. Chris Sale has once again been phenomenal in his age-37 season, but he’s carrying an Atlanta staff that has fought through tons of injuries.
The Braves approached the trade deadline with a goal to add more starting pitching, but their transactions left a lot to be desired, with only right-hander Tyler Mahle brought in as a reinforcement. Overall, the combination of Grant Holmes, Reynaldo Lopez, Bryce Elder and Martín Pérez has held things together behind Sale, but in a National League in which many contenders got better and added pitching at the deadline, Atlanta’s inability to do more could be a problem come October.
San Diego Padres Can their stars stay hot to get them to the playoffs?The Padres have been searching all season for consistent offense, which is something of a surprise, considering the star power on their roster. But San Diego's stars, including Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill, have all gone through their share of offensive struggles.
Over the past month, however, San Diego’s star-studded lineup has finally come alive, ranking second in MLB in runs scored as the team has gone 16-9 since the All-Star break. Merrill has been one of baseball’s hottest hitters, with a 1.046 OPS over the past month, while Tatis and first baseman Ty France both have an OPS near 1.000 in the same span.
The Padres go as their stars go, and with their lineup finally delivering and looking confident, they’ve saved their best for the perfect time.
Detroit Tigers: Will their second-half surge be enough to make the postseason without Skubal?If it feels like you’ve seen this movie before with the Detroit Tigers, it’s because you have. The surging Tigers are starting to feel much like they did in 2024, when they sold at the trade deadline — sending Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers — before going on a run to the postseason.
This year, Detroit traded longtime ace Tarik Skubal to L.A., yet the Tigers have continued to play their best baseball of the season over the past two months. Since June 1, the Tigers are 37-22, and they’ve gone from being tied for the worst record in baseball to being a half-game out of a playoff spot and just 2.5 games behind the White Sox in the AL Central.
It felt like a dark cloud was hovering over this team for the first few months of the season, but lately, the Tigers have played as well as any team in the sport. Their revamped starting rotation, even without Skubal, has been the best unit in baseball. Detroit just might be the most interesting team to watch over the final seven weeks of this season.
Tampa Bay Rays: Can Junior Caminero carry this team to new heights?No team in the American League has been as consistent as the 2026 Tampa Bay Rays. Since taking over first in the AL East on May 10, the Rays have been rolling, going 48-33 over that span. It might not be flashy, but the seemingly always competitive Rays have the postseason in their sights yet again.
The difference for Tampa Bay this time around is Junior Caminero. The 23-year-old is a superstar and is playing at an MVP level this season. After hitting 45 homers in his breakout 2025 season, the Rays’ third baseman is putting on a show in ‘26, slashing .277/.369/.554 with 35 home runs and 36 RBI and leading his team in nearly every offensive category.
In the postseason, having a superstar matters. And the Rays have one. When they get to October, having Caminero as the cornerstone of the lineup will be a huge boost as they look to win their first postseason series since reaching the World Series in 2020.
Texas Rangers: Can they get the best out of Corey Seager?The Rangers have had an up-and-down season, yet as of Wednesday, they hold a playoff spot. This is a very different team than the one that won the 2023 World Series, but they still have an important piece of that core in shortstop and World Series MVP Corey Seager. Seager has struggled in 2026, dealing with an ailing lower back for the majority of the season, but even so, he is the key to Texas’ playoff hopes.
When Seager is going well, he’s one of the best hitters in the game. And having an impact bat like the two-time World Series MVP in the middle of the lineup is huge. Plus, the Rangers have been getting strong production from other places while Seager has been getting healthy, with Brandon Nimmo, Joc Pederson and Wyatt Langford all providing offensive production.
If Seager’s back can hold up over the next seven weeks, the Rangers have a chance to reach the postseason. Because not only is the American League wide open, but also no team in the AL West has taken control of the division yet.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Can they find a little more wild-card magic?When it comes to launching a playoff run from a wild-card spot, no team knows more than the Diamondbacks about getting hot at the right time, as Arizona became the poster child for the third wild-card spot by making a run to the 2023 World Series. This season, the D-backs find themselves in a similar spot. Arizona has found a rhythm since the All-Star break, with a 15-10 record, and with the Phillies’ recent slide, the D-backs have cemented their place in the middle of the wild-card mix.
When it comes to reaching the postseason, some teams are uncomfortable with the prospect of playing in the wild-card round. But perhaps the D-backs’ biggest strength is their confidence that they can make things happen even without winning the division.
Houston Astros: Is Yordan Álvarez’s season enough to get his team to the playoffs?Yordan Álvarez has been a man on a mission this year. The Astros’ slugger has been the best hitter in the American League and is the front-runner to win AL MVP. But Álvarez’s stellar season hasn’t always translated to Astros success. As is the case for much of the AL West, it has been a mediocre season in Houston, and as the Astros try to make it back to the postseason after missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years, they’ve needed every bit of Álvarez’s production.
The Astros are currently leading the division, but with the Rangers right behind them, they have little margin for error over the final seven weeks. Even with Álvarez playing at an MVP level, this team is going to need other hitters to step up if they hope to reach the postseason.
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