As the Major League Baseball season enters its second half, four teams remain in contention for a playoff spot despite their struggles following the All-Star break. The Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, and Cincinnati Reds have all faced adversity since the break but remain in the hunt for a postseason berth.
The Marlins have been the most impressive of the four teams, currently sitting in second place in the National League East. Despite a slow start to the season, the Marlins have been playing well since the All-Star break, going 8-7 in their first 15 games. They have been led by their pitching staff, which ranks in the top 10 in the league in ERA and strikeouts.
The Diamondbacks have also been playing well since the break, going 9-6 in their first 15 games. They have been led by their offense, which ranks in the top five in the league in runs scored and home runs. The Diamondbacks are currently in third place in the NL West and are just one game out of a playoff spot.
The Giants have had a more difficult time since the break, going 5-10 in their first 15 games. They have been hampered by injuries to key players such as Buster Posey and Brandon Belt, but they remain in contention for a playoff spot thanks to their strong pitching staff. The Giants are currently in fourth place in the NL West and are just two games out of a playoff spot.
Finally, the Reds have been struggling since the break, going 4-11 in their first 15 games. They have been hampered by injuries to key players such as Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez, but they remain in contention for a playoff spot thanks to their strong offense. The Reds are currently in fourth place in the NL Central and are just two games out of a playoff spot.
Despite their struggles following the All-Star break, all four teams remain in contention for a playoff spot. The Marlins, Diamondbacks, Giants, and Reds will all need to continue to play well if they want to make it to October. It will be interesting to see how these teams fare as the season progresses and whether or not they can make it to the postseason.
