Panic Meter Readings for Every MLB Team Fighting for a Playoff Spot

The MLB regular season wraps up at the end of the month, but with just those two weeks of games left, there are still 15 teams in the running for a postseason spot.

For some teams, the final two weeks will mean jockeying for seeding and playing for home-field advantage. For others, it means fighting for their postseason lives, as every game between now and the end of the season is incredibly important.

So with two weeks to go, here is a look at where each team currently registers on the panic meter (1-10), based upon their remaining schedule, current place in the standings and injuries and roster decisions that they still have to make.

Atlanta Braves (89-60, First in NL East)

Current Place in Standings

10.0 games up in NL East

Remaining Schedule

at Washington Nationals (3)
at Chicago Cubs (3)
vs. Milwaukee Brewers (3)
vs. Philadelphia Phillies (4)

Potential Reasons for Concern

Even with the Nationals playing terrific baseball, the Braves still hold a 10-game lead in the NL East standings, and their magic number sits at just four entering play on Tuesday. They are also 2.5 games up on the Cardinalsand Pirates for the best record in the National League, and they will be looking to secure home-field advantage.

They kick off a three-game series in Washington against those streaking Nationals with a double-header on Tuesday. But things get substantially easier from there, as they take on NL Central cellar-dwellers Chicago and Milwaukee before closing out the season against a Phillies team that is playing well right now but is still 10 games under .500.

The team has no doubt missed Jason Heyward, who remains sidelined with a fractured jaw, and not having him atop the lineup in October could be a concern if he doesn't return soon. How the starting rotation will play out in October is also a question, but Kris Medlen is pitching great right now and looks ready to anchor the staff.

Panic Meter Reading: 1

Boston Red Sox (92-59, First in AL East)

Current Place in Standings

9.0 games up in AL East

Remaining Schedule

vs. Baltimore Orioles (3)
vs. Toronto Blue Jays (3)
at Colorado Rockies (2)
at Baltimore Orioles (3)

Potential Reasons for Concern

The Red Sox starting rotation has been perhaps their biggest question mark in the second half, but it now looks to be stronger than ever with Clay Buchholz back from injury and throwing 11 scoreless innings in his first two starts back.

They did lose table setter Jacoby Ellsbury to a fractured bone in his right foot, which is a major blow to their offense, but he is expected to be back before the end of the regular season, according to Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe.

With a 9.0-game lead in the AL East, their magic number sits at four. So aside from the health of Ellsbury, there is not much cause for concern for the team that currently holds the best record in baseball.

Panic Meter Reading: 1

Oakland Athletics (88-62, First in AL West)

Current Place in Standings

6.5 games up in AL West

Remaining Schedule

vs. Los Angeles Angels (2)
vs. Minnesota Twins (4)
at Los Angeles Angels (3)
at Seattle Mariners (3)

Potential Reasons for Concern

The A's are streaking right now, as they reclaimed the AL West lead on Sept. 6 and have gone 8-2 over their past 10 games, helping them build a 6.5-game lead over the spiraling Rangers. The A's are looking to capture back-to-back division titles for the first time since 2002/2003.

Their remaining 12 games are all against sub-.500 teams, but the Angels are playing good baseball right now (7-3 in their last 10 games), so they're not exactly pushovers. Still, with their magic number at seven, it will take a massive collapse against some subpar competition for the A's to not win the AL West.

Getting Bartolo Colon back and healthy was huge for the starting rotation, while the offensive trio of Josh Donaldson, Brandon Moss and Yoenis Cespedes has been raking of late. The inexperienced rotation continues to get it done, and the offense relies on everyone to contribute so no one player's cold streak can hurt them too much.

Panic Meter Reading: 1

Detroit Tigers (87-63, First in AL Central)

Current Place in Standings

6.0 games up in AL Central

Remaining Schedule

vs. Seattle Mariners (3)
vs. Chicago White Sox (3)
at Minnesota Twins (3)
at Miami Marlins (3)

Potential Reasons for Concern

The Tigers have not run away with the AL Central division this season like many expected them to, as they have never lead the division by more than 8.5 games at any point this year. However, they have been unchallenged atop the standings since July 2.

They finish with perhaps the easiest schedule of any contender, though they still have their work cut out for them in order to avoid being the No. 3 seed in the AL with the Red Sox and A's both playing terrific baseball.

With four frontline arms and a potent offense, they appear to be built for the postseason, and the best may be yet to come from this group. Getting Miguel Cabrera back to full strength remains a concern though, as he's hit just .229 and has yet to homer in 11 September games.

Panic Meter Reading: 2 

St. Louis Cardinals (87-63, First in NL Central/First in NL Wild Card)

Current Place in Standings

0.0 games up in NL Central (tied with Pittsburgh)
7.5 games up in NL Wild Card

Remaining Schedule

at Colorado Rockies (3)
at Milwaukee Brewers (3)
vs. Washington Nationals (3)
vs. Chicago Cubs (3)

Potential Reasons for Concern

The Cardinals have battled the Pirates for the NL Central title all season, and entering play on Tuesday, the two teams remained in a dead heat atop the standings with two weeks to go.

While the Pirates square off with the Reds for six more games, the Cardinals have a far more favorable schedule the rest of the way, though the rival Cubs will no doubt look to play spoiler if things are still close heading into that final series.

Sorting out the pitching staff behind Adam Wainwright remains their top priority, as Shelby Miller will likely fill the No. 2 spot, followed perhaps by inexperienced arms Michael Wacha and Joe Kelly. Lance Lynn and Jake Westbrook will be in the mix as well. They are also without RBI-machine Allen Craig right now, as he recovers from a foot injury, and hopes are that he'll be ready for the playoffs.

Panic Meter Reading: 2

Los Angeles Dodgers (86-64, First in NL West)

Current Place in Standings

9.5 games up in NL West

Remaining Schedule

at Arizona Diamondbacks (3)
at San Diego Padres (3)
at San Francisco Giants (3)
vs. Colorado Rockies (3)

Potential Reasons for Concern

The Dodgers currently hold a commanding 9.5-game lead over the Diamondbacks in the NL West, as their magic number stands at four. They still also have a chance at securing the best record in the National League.

While they are essentially a lock for a playoff spot, they have dropped four straight and are just 6-9 in the month of September, so they are not playing their best baseball down the stretch here.

The starting rotation has not been as dominant this month, and their 4.29 ERA as a staff ranks 20th in the MLB in September. Meanwhile, the offense is hitting just .255 and averaging 3.8 runs per game and, aside from Hanley Ramirez, no one is exactly setting the world on fire.

Panic Meter Reading: 3

Pittsburgh Pirates (87-63, First in NL Central/First in NL Wild Card)

Current Place in Standings

0.0 games up in NL Central (tied with Cardinals)
7.5 games up in NL Wild Card

Remaining Schedule

vs. San Diego Padres (3)
vs. Cincinnati Reds (3)
at Chicago Cubs (3)
at Cincinnati Reds (3)

Potential Reasons for Concern

Having already gotten over the .500 hump and avoided a third-straight second half collapse, much of the potential panic in Pittsburgh has already subsided. However, there is still work to be done as they look to secure the NL Central title and avoid playing in the wild-card round.

With six games left against the Reds, things are by no means easy the rest of the way. Also, the Reds currently sit just 2.5 games back in the division, so a lot could be riding on that season-ending series. They'll certainly need to take care of business against the lowly Padres and Cubs first, though, in order to have a chance at the division.

The team still needs to decide who will lead the staff in the postseason, as well as who fills the No. 4 spot in the rotation between Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke. The trio of Russell Martin, Pedro Alvarez and Neil Walker have all hit under .210 over the past month, and someone will need to help shoulder the offensive load with Andrew McCutchen and Marlon Byrd.

Panic Meter Reading: 3

Cincinnati Reds (85-66, Second in NL Wild Card)

Current Place in Standings

5.0 games up in NL Wild Card
2.5 games back in NL Central

Remaining Schedule

at Houston Astros (2)
at Pittsburgh Pirates (3)
vs. New York Mets (3)
vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (3)

Potential Reasons for Concern

The Reds followed up a terrific stretch against the Dodgers and Cardinals by dropping series to the Cubs and Brewers last week, but they remain within striking distance of the NL Central. They are currently 2.5 games back in the division and sit a comfortable (for now) five games up on the Nationals for the second wild-card spot.

Their remaining six games with the Pirates may be the most intriguing head-to-head battle remaining between contenders this season, though in the end, the most likely scenario remains those two meeting up in the NL Wild Card Round.

Getting Johnny Cueto back could give them a huge shot in the arm—especially with Tony Cingrani leaving his last start with an injury—as last year's ace threw five scoreless inning in his first outing in over two months on Monday. The offense has been middle of the road this month, and guys like Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce and Ryan Ludwick needs to get going.

Panic Meter Reading: 4

Cleveland Indians (81-69, Third in AL Wild Card)

Current Place in Standings

0.5 games back in AL Wild Card
6.0 games back in AL Central

Remaining Schedule

at Kansas City Royals (2)
vs. Houston Astros (4)
vs. Chicago White Sox (2)
at Minnesota Twins (4)

Potential Reasons for Concern

At 10-5 in September, the Indians have made a nice push of late to pull just a half game behind the Rangers in the AL wild-card standings. With the Tigers being up six games in the AL Central, winning the wild card looks like the Tribe's only real shot at a postseason spot at this point.

After wrapping up their current three-game series against a Royals team that is hot on their tails, the Indians finish the season against the three of the worst teams in the American League, so they should be able to stay hot.

The pitching staff has been terrific of late, with Ubaldo Jimenez finally pitching like an ace again, and their 2.96 staff ERA is the best in the American League this month. However, just as their pitching has taken off, their offense has sputtered, and they'll need to put all the pieces together here in the final two weeks.

Panic Meter Reading: 5

Tampa Bay Rays (82-67, First in AL Wild Card)

Current Place in Standings

1.5 games up in AL Wild Card
9.0 games back in AL East

Remaining Schedule

vs. Texas Rangers (3)
vs. Baltimore Orioles (4)
at New York Yankees (3)
at Toronto Blue Jays (3)

Potential Reasons for Concern

The Rays have been in control of a wild-card spot in the AL for much of the season, but they have seen their lead evaporate of late, as they're mired in an 8-14 skid.

The sheer quantity of teams chasing them for a wild-card spot is reason enough for at least some panic, and with 10 of their remaining 13 games against teams also vying for the wild card, the road ahead won't be any easier.

Matt Moore is back in the rotation and healthy, but the pitching staff as a whole has been inconsistent of late. Meanwhile, the offense has hit just .242 and has averaged 3.5 runs per game in September. They will need to get back on track quickly.

Panic Meter Reading: 6

Washington Nationals (79-70, Third in NL Wild Card)

Current Place in Standings

5.0 games back in NL Wild Card
10.0 games back in NL East

Remaining Schedule

vs. Atlanta Braves (3)
vs. Miami Marlins (4)
at St. Louis Cardinals (3)
at Arizona Diamondbacks (3)

Potential Reasons for Concern

A month ago, it didn't look like the Nationals would be in any position to be concerned about their postseason hopes, but they've gone 25-10 over their past 35 games, helping them to, at the very least, make the Reds sweat things a bit for the second NL wild-card spot.

Truthfully, for the team to even be in the position they're in right now is impressive, so there's not much reason for panic. They still have series against the Braves and Cardinals, as well as a solid Diamondbacks team, to close out the year, so the odds are stacked against them.

If nothing else, this hot stretch is a positive cap to what has been a disappointing season in Washington. Perhaps it will be a jumping off point for next season, when they should have the same basic core of guys that made them NL East favorites this year.

Panic Meter Reading: 8

Texas Rangers (81-68, Second in AL Wild Card)

Current Place in Standings

0.5 games up in AL Wild Card
6.5 games back in AL West

Remaining Schedule

at Tampa Bay Rays (3)
at Kansas City Royals (3)
vs. Houston Astros (3)
vs. Los Angeles Angels (4)

Potential Reasons for Concern

As recently as Sept. 3, the Rangers stood atop the AL West standings, but they now find themselves 6.5 games back in the division and clinging onto a half-game lead for the second AL wild-card spot. They've lost seven straight and 12 of their last 14 games, free falling from what looked to be a sure postseason spot.

Playing the Astros and Angels at home to close out the season should help, but they'll need to get through this week first. They will be playing against the Rays and Royals on the road, two teams that are eyeing the wild-card slot that the Rangers currently occupy.

The starting rotation remains frustratingly inconsistent behind Cy Young candidate Yu Darvish, with Matt Garza in particular proving useless since his first two starts after coming over from the Cubs in July. The offense is playing fairly well right now, but it is still not capable of carrying the team like it could in the past.

Panic Meter Reading: 8

Kansas City Royals (79-71, Tied for Fifth in AL Wild Card)

Current Place in Standings

2.5 games back in AL Wild Card
8.0 games back in AL Central

Remaining Schedule

vs. Cleveland Indians (2)
vs. Texas Rangers (3)
at Seattle Mariners (3)
at Chicago White Sox (4)

Potential Reasons for Concern

Just 43-49 at the All-Star break, the Royals have gone 36-22 in the second half and remain very much in the AL wild-card picture, despite still needing to pass a number of teams.

They face two of the teams they're currently chasing the rest of this week in the Indians and Rangers, and it's safe to assume that they need to take three of the next five games to even have a shot heading into the final week of the season.

Offense was their biggest issue in the first half, but now, consistency out of what had been a vastly improved starting rotation may be their biggest concern. They've thrown the ball well the past week, with Jeremy Guthrie and James Shields leading the way, and they'll need to keep turning in quality starts for them to have a chance. Time is certainly not on their side at this point, though.

Panic Meter Reading: 9

Baltimore Orioles (79-70, Fourth in AL Wild Card)

Current Place in Standings

2.0 games back in AL Wild Card
12.0 games back in AL East

Remaining Schedule

at Boston Red Sox (3)
at Tampa Bay Rays (4)
vs. Toronto Blue Jays (3)
vs. Boston Red Sox (3)

Potential Reasons for Concern

Starting pitching remains public enemy No. 1 in Baltimore, but the staff, as a whole, does have a 3.38 ERA in September. Still, getting a consistent performance from someone in the rotation outside of Scott Feldman is the biggest need moving forward.

They face off against the cream of the AL East crop down the stretch, with six games against a Red Sox team that will be pushing for the best record in the AL and four games against a Rays team looking to hold onto a wild-card spot.

Their offense remains a major weapon, but it has fallen to the middle of the pack since the All-Star break, averaging just 4.2 runs per game in September after putting up 4.8 runs per game in the first half of the season.

Panic Meter Reading: 9

New York Yankees (79-71, Tied for Fifth in AL Wild Card)

Current Place in Standings

2.5 games back in AL Wild Card
12.5 games back in AL East

Remaining Schedule

at Toronto Blue Jays (3)
vs. San Francisco Giants (3)
vs. Tampa Bay Rays (3)
at Houston Astros (3)

Potential Reasons for Concern

The Yankees have had no shortage of obstacles to overcome this season, but they used a 13-3 stretch in August to pull back into legitimate contention. However, they're 7-8 in September and are coming off of a three-game sweep at the hands of the rival Red Sox.

Though they are currently just 2.5 games back in the wild-card race, they have four teams to pass to get there. They do have a favorable schedule with just three of their final 12 games being against a team over .500, and they will need to make the most of that three-game series with the Rays to kick off next week.

From a performance standpoint, their offense is playing some of its best baseball of the season right now. However, the pitching staff has an MLB-worst 6.27 ERA in the month of September, and their improved offense is still not going to carry them when they're throwing the ball the way they have.

Panic Meter Reading: 10