MLB: Chaos threatens: Are 2 decision games necessary?

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers have equalled the top riders in their respective divisions on Saturday. Now a total of two deciding matches in the National League are imminent on Monday.

What was a possible scenario at the beginning of the week is now very close to reality! In both the NL West and NL Central, a 163rd match might be necessary to determine the division champs.

First the Chicago Cubs lost their home game against the St. Louis Cardinals 1:2, then the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 10:5 after a strong final sprint. The Dodgers are now the final NL play-off team.

Later in the evening, the Colorado Rockies stumbled home and cashed in a violent 2-12 crash against the Washington Nationals. The Milwaukee Brewers did their homework and beat the Detroit Tigers in Miller Park 6-5.

The result: The Dodgers and Rockies are on a par in the West Division with a balance of 90-71. The same applies to the Cubs and Brewers in the Central (94-67).

If the respective opponents are on the same level after the games on Sunday evening, tiebreaker games on Monday would be necessary.

These would look like this: A tie in the Central would increase the game between Cubs and Brewers in Chicago’s Wrigley Field, as the season’s series of the two 11-8 went to the Cubs. In the west, in the case of a tiebreaker match, Dodger Stadium would be the venue, as L.A. won the season’s series 12-7.

After such games again the situation would be clear: The second of the NL Central would receive the second of the NL West in the regular wildcard game on Tuesday (night on Wednesday, 2 a.m. CEST).

The Central winner would face the wildcard winner in the National League Division Series, while the West winner would play the Atlanta Braves.

This article was published without prior review by Major League Baseball.