The hunt for October is heating up as the National League prepares for the last few weeks of play. As the calendar flips over to September the top three teams are some of the biggest winners in the National League. This includes the New York Mets who continue to hold on to the top spot in the National League East.
There latest stretch run winning seven of there past ten games has helped the team build a six and half game lead over the second place Washington Nationals. While the Mets land on our Winners list the other two clubs that earn a spot is the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Each of these clubs have won eight of there last ten games fighting off the second place team in each division. The Cardinals currently have the best record not only in the National League but in all of baseball. The team is also the only team in all of baseball that has not hit the 50 loss mark on the season.
Meanwhile the Dodgers have used there hot pitching from the likes of Clayton Kershaw and Zach Greinke to build a six and half game lead over the San Francisco Giants. This comes after the Giants were within a game of first place in the National League West.
Since that point the Dodgers have won eight of ten while the Giants have picked up just four wins over there past ten games. While the Mets, Dodgers and Cardinals land on our National League Winner List here is our complete list of winners and losers from around the league.
National League Winners:
Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs: Once thought to be a big bust in Baltimore, Arrieta continues to develop into one of the National Leagues top starters. This comes after firing the Cubs tenth career no hitter in his last outing against those red hot Dodgers. Along with the no hitter, Arrieta has been brilliant over his last three starters allowing zero earned runs over 21 innings of work while striking out 27 hitters along the way.
Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers: The pitching has dominated the headlines in the National League and it has shown up on our National League Winners list. This includes the Dodgers ace after allowing just four runs over his last four outings while lowering his season earned run average to just 2.18 on the season. Looking back at his last ten games, Kershaw has pitched at least eight innings in eight of those starts including three complete games.
Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds: While the Reds have been a big disappointment all season the teams’ first baseman has put together a solid season batting .316 with 27 home runs and 70 runs batted in. His latest stretch includes going 11 for 22 with three home runs and eight runs batted in. Since the calendar has rolled over to September, Votto has four hits in eight at bats including two home runs and five runs batted in.
Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals: The Nationals infielder is doing everything in his power to help this club get to the post season. This includes being on of hottest hitters in all of baseball over his last seven games. In that stretch, Zimmerman is hitting .414 with 12 hits including six home runs and 12 runs batted in.
National League Losers:
National League West: Typically we put a club or player on our losers list but this week the National League West finds a spot. Outside of the Dodgers the next three teams that were all in position to fight for not only the division but a wild card spot have played terrible. The San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres have combined to go just 9-21 while losing ground in both the division and wild card standings.
Juan Lagares, New York Mets: We hate to throw anyone on the list from the New York Mets after the season they have been having. That being said the Mets outfielder has struggled picking up just one hit over his last 12 at bats while hitting just .83 over that stretch.
Matt Garza, Milwaukee Brewers: Outside of maybe Ryan Braun the Brewers have struggled the entire season. This includes the team’s veteran starter Garza who has struggled for most of the season. Over his last three outings, Garza has pitched just 13.1 innings allowing 19 earned runs along the way. On the season, Garza is 6-14 with a 5.56 earned run average.
Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds: For us we are asking ourselves did the home run derby play an affect on Fraziers second half of the season? Now that being said Frazier is hitting .262 with 30 home runs and 77 runs batted in. The downside is most of those numbers came in the first half of the 2015 MLB Season. Over his last seven games, Frazier has just six hits in 29 at bats while seeing his average fall to .262 in that stretch.
Atlanta Braves: Since the Braves have played themselves out of the playoff window the team can focus on next season. Over there last ten games this team has been one of the worst teams in all of baseball winning just one of those ten games. In that stretch the team has lost eight straight while falling to fourth place in the division. Only good news is the team’s recent stretch of play is moving them up the draft board for next summers MLB draft.