MLB's final week features 40/40 chase, wild-card race and historic division odds

Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong is within two stolen bases of joining the 40/40 club, a feat achieved by only six players in MLB history. The Cubs outfielder leads the league with 45 home runs and ranks fifth in steals with 38, while the team finishes the season with three games each at Wrigley Field and Fenway Park.

The Chicago White Sox, once 5.5 games ahead in the AL Central, have slipped to the sixth seed after a decline in starting pitching, despite adding right-hander Luis Castillo. The Guardians now lead the division by one game after winning two of three against the Sox.

In the National League, the Cubs, San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies remain within a game of each other for the three wild-card spots. The Padres, who are 14-4 in September, have eliminated the Arizona Diamondbacks from contention, while the Cubs and Phillies have posted .500 and sub-.500 records this month.

Shohei Ohtani is slated to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup after missing time with knee, neck and biceps injuries. The Dodgers have relied on Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker, who have posted OPS figures above 1.000 in September.

The AL West may crown a champion with a .500 record or worse, as the Texas Rangers hold a one-game lead over the Houston Astros and sit at 78-78. Both clubs face final-week series against the Mets, Twins, Mariners and Athletics.

Milwaukee, the National League’s 2025 top seed, seeks to secure home-field advantage with a two-game lead over the Dodgers. The Brewers will play the Phillies and Cardinals, while the Dodgers finish against the Padres and Giants.

Houston’s designated hitter Yordan Alvarez continues his Triple Crown pursuit, leading the American League with a .313 batting average, a .430 on-base percentage and a .597 slugging percentage, while posting 40 home runs and 99 RBI.