MLB Final Weekend: Regular Season Heat Check

 

162 games later, here we are. The final weekend of the MLB regular season. Some teams are sprinting into October, others are crawling to the finish line, and a few are already on the golf course. Using the Raymond Report SOS chart, here’s how the contenders and spoilers are trending.

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🔥 On Fire, Entering October With Momentum

Seattle Mariners (13-1 L14, 92.9%, PR 0.64)

The Mariners have been the story of September. Their 13–1 run is the best in baseball, and while the SOS wasn’t murderous, the Power Rating at 0.64 shows this isn’t luck. Seattle looks like the team nobody wants in a Wild Card series.

Cleveland Guardians (12-2 L14, 85.7%, PR 0.56)

Cleveland keeps piling wins at the right time. Their schedule has been light (26.5% SOS), but they’ve done what good teams do: take care of business. Quietly dangerous with that pitching depth.

New York Yankees (10-4 L14, 71.4%, PR 0.55)

The Bronx Bombers are finishing strong, winning 10 of their last 14. Their SOS wasn’t brutal, but they’ve looked balanced and playoff-ready. That 0.59 PR in the last 7 shows they’re heating up even more recently.

Atlanta Braves (10-4 L14, 71.4%, PR 0.54)

It’s too late for October, but bettors beware — Atlanta is cashing late. They’ve gone 6–1 last 7 and have been showing surprising fight against a fair SOS.

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📈 Respectable Heat With Stronger SOS

• Boston Red Sox (8-6, SOS 57.7%, PR 0.57) → Playing meaningful baseball and proving it against a legit slate.
• Philadelphia Phillies (9-5, SOS 54.1%, PR 0.59) → Not peaking like Seattle, but against a real SOS their wins carry weight.
• Oakland A’s (9-5, SOS 50.5%, PR 0.57) → Not playoff-bound, but playing spoiler with value against strong competition.

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❄️ Cold at the Wrong Time

Toronto Blue Jays (1-6 L7, PR 0.38)

A brutal 1–6 slide when you need wins most. Even worse, they’ve faced tough competition (61.2% SOS). Playoff spot isn’t gone, but the momentum is.

Detroit Tigers (0-7 L7, 3-11 L14, PR 0.43–0.50)

Detroit is flat-lining. The worst final stretch of any contender, going winless in their last 7 and hitting 3–11 over their last 14. The SOS (78.1%) explains some of it, but excuses won’t matter in October.

Chicago Cubs (2-5 L7, PR 0.45)

They’ve been a playoff-caliber team all year, but stumbling with only 2 wins in their last 7 raises red flags.

Texas Rangers (1-6 L7, PR 0.34)

Momentum? Gone. A losing final month capped by a 1–6 last 7 screams fade material.

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🚨 Pretenders Exposed By SOS

• San Diego Padres (8-6 L14, SOS 33.2%, PR 0.45) → Record looks fine, but a soft SOS hides the fact they’re not peaking.
• San Francisco Giants (4-10 L14, SOS 57.7%, PR 0.43) → Played a strong schedule and got burned.
• Mets (5-9 L14, PR 0.43) → Just like last year, late-season fade costs them credibility.

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🎯 Raymond Report Takeaway

• Ride the Heat: Mariners, Guardians, Yankees, Phillies.
• SOS-Proven Contenders: Boston, Philly, Oakland.
• Fade the Cold: Detroit, Toronto, Cubs, Texas.

October is about two things: form + matchups. Seattle and Cleveland are red-hot, but the Yankees and Phillies have the SOS-tested wins that scream postseason credibility.

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