The playoff race is heating up in Major League Baseball. Some teams have clinched a spot, while other teams are still searching for that wildcard berth. The wildcard race has changed dramatically from where it was earlier in the season. Teams have emerged to be real contenders after the deadline. So here are the top ten MLB teams heading into the postseason.

10: New York Yankees

The Yankees have had their ups and downs this season. They bounced back after a tough start and had a 13 game win streak after the deadline. But tough times have yet again fallen over them, going 9 and 11 over their last 20 games. It will be interesting to see if the Yanks’ get hot and clinch a spot going into the postseason.

9: Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves have had a hot streak since the trade deadline. Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, Richard Rodríeguez, Jorge Soler, and Adam Duvall were all players acquired at the deadline, and have played crucial roles in putting the Braves into position for a playoff push. Since star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. tore his ACL in early July, the Braves were immediately counted out of any sort of playoff contention. They have proved everyone wrong.

8: Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox came into the 2021 season firing on all cylinders. They were the hottest team in baseball for quite a while. Until they cooled off. The Red Sox had a horrific stretch that knocked them out of first place in the AL East. Now, they have started to show signs of life again. They’ve caught fire and are currently sitting in second in their division, and they hold the first wildcard spot. If they can keep this fire burning, they will be a dangerous opponent in October.

7: Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays may not be in a playoff spot right now, but they certainly are playoff ready. The Blue Jays are one of the hottest teams in baseball at the moment. They recently completed a four game sweep of the New York Yankees. This put the Jays one game back from the second wildcard spot. Robbie Ray, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Marcus Semien have propelled this team to the position they are in. American League teams should be trying their hardest to keep the Jays from the playoffs, because they could take it all.

6: Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox have proven that last year’s shortened season playoff run was not a fluke. They have a star- studded offense, led by Tim Anderson, José Abreu, and Eloy Jimenez. An amazing starting rotation that includes two Cy young contenders, Lance Lynn and Carlos Rodón. And an elite bullpen that stars Craig Kimbrel, and Liam Hendricks. The South Side has a real chance to prove their worth in October.

5: Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are the most hated team in baseball, and that might be what fuels them. They have been lights out this season, with guys like Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa bouncing back from tough 2020 seasons. The Astros have been dominant this season even without their ace, Justin Verlander. The Astros will be looking to channel some of that “2017 magic”, and win it all once again.

4: Milwaukee Brewers

No one expected the Milwaukee Brewers to be very good this season. They weren’t even projected to make the playoffs this season. But when their front office traded for Willy Adames, everything changed. The whole team caught fire, including Adames. Adames is the perfect example of a player who just needed a change of scenery. Adames has been the spark that the Brewers desperately needed. They have made other crucial trades, including trading for Eduardo Escobar from the D-Backs, and Rowdy Tellez from the Blue Jays. The Brew-Crew’s lights out pitching, combined with their solid offense, could propel them to a serious championship run.

3: Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays surprised the league yet again by being contenders with such a low budget. Year by year they rely on their amazing farm system to pump out superstars. For example, see Wander Franco, who has recently taken the league by storm. They also recently called up Shane Baz, who was part of the dreaded Chris Archer deal with the Pirates in 2018. The Rays are still dominant, even without Tyler Glasnow, who was having a career year before getting injured. The Rays look to repeat their run to the world series this year, which is very possible with their amazing team.

2: Los Angeles Dodgers

To no one’s surprise, the LA Dodgers have once again found themselves in a position to win it all. The Dodgers were already an amazing team, but their blockbuster deadline trade with the Nationals may have helped their chances. The Dodgers traded for Trea Turner, a star shortstop who hits for power, average, and is one of the fastest players in the league. He has been amazing all season, and continued this with his new team. They also traded for Max Scherzer, a starting pitcher, who has been the Cy Young favorite since joining the Dodgers. Scherzer has taken a page out of “Tuck Everlasting,” and has been lights out at the ripe age of 37 years old. The Dodgers have won all of Mad Max’s starts so far, and look to repeat on the main stage.

1: San Francisco Giants

To everyone’s surprise, the San Francisco Giants have been the most dominant team in baseball this season. New manager Gabe Kapler will most likely be the favorite to win manager of the year. The Giants amazing pitching staff, and explosive offense is the reason they have been so good. To add insult to injury for any team in the NL playoffs, they also traded for third baseman, Kris Bryant. The Giants look to win a championship, to continue their historic dominance in the postseason.