Every week, we ask a selected group of our baseball writers -- local and national -- to rank the teams from first to worst. Here are the collective results.

In exactly two weeks, we'll be settling in for the first playoff games of 2025. All this wild-card chaos? Settled. Eighteen teams will be going home to recuperate for a little while before firing up the 2026 Hope Machine.

But Sept. 30 will come when it comes. Today, there are still regular-season games to be played. There is still wild-card chaos to relish -- and if you live west of Omaha, that chaos spill has yet to be cleaned up from the division races.

The hope of Opening Day is indiscriminate -- all 30 teams can dream on best-case scenarios. Late September? That's for the teams who followed through. But even if your team lacks October intrigue, there's always something worth watching. This week, we're identifying one reason to focus on the final grains of sand as the hourglass slips toward 162.

Here is the story in Milwaukee, 2018-present. Some other team (usually the Cubs) is picked to win the division. Then Milwaukee -- fresh off losing one star or another -- wins it. When the Brewers don't, with the exception of 2022, they make the playoffs some other way.

They do it with grit, speed and fundamentals, and never has that been more true than this season. But every year, they get into the postseason and come up short. In six playoff appearances (this year will be their seventh in eight years), they've only made the NLCS once, back in 2018.

The prompt this week is technically "what's worth watching in the last two weeks of the regular season?" but aside from "will they secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs?" there isn't a lot of intrigue left. The last time Milwaukee made the World Series was in 1982 and it was an American League team. Is this the year the Brewers finally do it? -- Levi Weaver

The Phillies addressed their bullpen and outfield at the trade deadline, but there was little they could do a month later when Zack Wheeler went down with a blood clot and season-ending thoracic outlet surgery. Losing their ace was a devastating blow, and the Phillies would be hard-pressed to withstand yet another loss of that magnitude.

The team is hopeful that Trea Turner will return from a hamstring injury before the end of September, but if it has to enter the playoffs without him, it will be another missing piece that's impossible to replace. Turner leads in the NL in batting average, and he's tied for the lead in fWAR. The good news is the Phillies have already clinched a playoff spot, so they don't have to rush Turner's return. They just need him healthy when it really matters. -- Chad Jennings

The Blue Jays are coming down the stretch with one of the best records in the American League. Every team wants a coveted first-round bye -- the top two seeds in each league get one -- but the Blue Jays, in particular, have recent history motivating them to skip the wild-card round if possible. The Jays have been to the playoffs in three of the past five seasons, and in each of those appearances, they've been swept in the WC, going 0-6 in those games against the Rays (2020), Mariners (2022) and Twins (2023). They have a chance to skip ahead to the division series this year. Sweeping the Orioles over the weekend kept them firmly in position to jump ahead to the division series. -- Jennings

Entering Monday, the Dodgers were 53-31 when Muncy starts -- and 31-34 when he doesn't. He's not the first or even the fourth guy you think of when facing Los Angeles' lineup, but he's an indispensable piece of the way it punishes opposing pitching. (Exhibit A being last fall's NLCS.) Muncy just returned from a strained right oblique, and then he was hit in the head by a pitch over the weekend. Once he's right, this Dodgers lineup can outslug anyone else in October, the way it did last year. -- Britton

By all logical projections, the Cubs should have won the NL Central this year. That's highly unlikely now, and one big reason has been the dual slump of outfield stars Tucker and Crow-Armstrong.

Then, once both had endured "reset" time on the bench, they both got dinged up. Tucker is still on the IL with a calf strain, and it doesn't look like he'll be ready to return when he's eligible (Monday).

Crow-Armstrong avoided the IL, but hasn't had a month with an OPS over .500 since July.

On the upside, Chicago is getting Michael Soroka back from the IL, and closer Daniel Palencia could be back in time for the playoffs. -- Weaver

Record: 85-65

Last Power Ranking: T-3

Worth watching: Can Detroit secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs?

The Tigers currently trail the Blue Jays for the best record in the AL, which would still earn them a first-round bye.

On the other hand, they're also not too far ahead of the Mariners. If Seattle (or whoever wins that bizarro AL West) passes them by, Detroit would be forced to play in the Wild Card Series (maybe against whoever almost wins that bizarro AL West).

Better to let those wild cards -- and I mean that term literally and metaphorically this year -- thin each other's ranks first. Plus, that would give Tarik Skubal a little rest, which it seems like he could use after last weekend's health scare. -- Weaver

The Yankees have some bullpen roles to iron out, and they need to make sure Aaron Judge stays healthy to the end, but nothing feels quite as fraught as the situation at shortstop, where Anthony Volpe remains the starter with a few important caveats: his shoulder is hurt, and he's not been very good.

Lately, José Caballero has been getting additional time at the position. Caballero is a fine defender with speed, but he doesn't have the offensive upside of Volpe (nor does he have Volpe's potential to be an organizational mainstay). But, honestly, it's probably fine. It's only the shortstop of the New York Yankees. I doubt it will get much attention these next few weeks. -- Jennings

Despite a 36-year head start on Houston in the AL West, the Mariners trail their division foes seven to three in division titles. It's been 24 years since Seattle finished in first place, and it has been in this painfully close position before, most notably in 2023. As their nine-game winning streak entering Monday has shown, the Mariners, at their best, are as dangerous as any other team in the American League. Creating an easier path through October -- they're 14 games better at home than on the road -- would help them fashion more franchise history. -- Britton

One of last season's breakout pitchers, King has started two games since the middle of May, first with nerve issues in his shoulder, then with left knee inflammation. At his best, King isn't just a member of San Diego's postseason rotation; he's one of the best starters in the National League. For a team that hasn't gotten the most out of Dylan Cease and Yu Darvish this season, it could use that type of frontline performer. -- Britton

This season, the Red Sox have promoted each of their top three position prospects to the major leagues. Kristian Campbell made the team on Opening Day, but he didn't stick. Marcelo Mayer came up in May, but he's been hurt since July. The one who stuck and performed -- becoming a key piece of the daily lineup -- was outfielder Roman Anthony.

But Anthony, too, has been on the IL, since Sept. 3, and his return is uncertain. Another injured outfielder, Wilyer Abreu, seems closer to rejoining the team, and he should provide a boost, but Anthony was a top-of-the-lineup difference maker, and the lineup just doesn't look the same without him. -- Jennings

The last 162-game season when the Astros didn't win the AL West? Rick Porcello won a Cy Young, Michael Fulmer was the AL's Rookie of the Year, and Jeremy Peña was just starting his sophomore year at the University of Maine. It's been a while since 2016, you know? Like your favorite prestige television show, this Astros' season will be defined and remembered by what happens in its penultimate week. Houston hosts the Rangers and Mariners. Win those series -- though that is a much taller task after left fielder Yordan Alvarez exited Monday's game with a left ankle sprain -- and that season-ending road trip through West Sacramento and Anaheim should include a champagne celebration. -- Britton

It didn't make sense when the Rangers' offense was so bad earlier this year. It didn't make sense when their run differential was better than the rest of their division anyway, and it didn't make sense when that was only good for a battle with the Angels for fourth place in the division.

So why would they make a late push in any way that doesn't defy logic? With approximately a Pittsburgh Pirates roster worth of salary on the IL, they're making a push for both a wild-card position and the division behind the "Little Rascals" -- a group of relative unknowns. This series in Houston might be make-or-break time. Or at least it should be. Logically. For whatever that's worth. -- Weaver

When the Guardians were losing 10 games in a row in late June/early July, it was pretty unwatchable, all around. Now that they're making an improbable late-season run at a playoff position, it seems like every game features a moment or two that you don't want to miss.

Click on this link to a story by Zack Meisel. It's worth the read anyway, but there's an embedded play by Brayan Rocchio that is one of the better dive-catch-throw plays you'll ever see from a second baseman. The pitching has -- even with the continued absences of Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase -- been dominant.

If they keep playing like this, it's going to be very uncomfortable for the Red Sox, Astros and Rangers trying to stave them off for the final wild-card spot. -- Weaver

The Mets are going to make the playoffs. Right? Their playoff odds have been pretty good all year, and for a while, they looked like one of the best teams in the entire sport. But things have been unraveling down the stretch, and suddenly, a forgone conclusion of October baseball isn't to be taken for granted. The Reds, Giants and Diamondbacks are making a push, and the Mets need to get it together in the final weeks to hold them off. If you're into a late-season collapse -- or just not at all into the Mets -- these next two weeks in Queens are worth monitoring. -- Jennings

The statute of limitations has expired on odd-year/even-year jokes about San Francisco -- it's been a decade -- but still no franchise embodies the "Just get in" ethos of the modern postseason like the Giants. Somewhere along the line, they were underdogs in each of their three championship runs last decade. And the National League's No. 6 seed in the current playoff format has proven to be a successful starting point. The Phillies and Diamondbacks won the pennant from that spot; the Mets came within two games of doing so. In a three-game set, Logan Webb -- Saturday aside -- is a pretty good place to start. -- Britton

No team in baseball has a tougher remaining schedule than the Diamondbacks, who face the Giants and then three playoff teams in the Phillies, Dodgers and Padres. However, there's a chance Arizona can absolutely nail the timing of those matchups. Philadelphia should have less to play for this weekend. Los Angeles could close in on clinching the West by the time next week rolls around, and by the final weekend of the season, San Diego may care more about setting up its postseason rotation than anything else. -- Britton

Terry Francona has won everywhere he's managed (except Philadelphia, but that was 25 years ago, I think we can let it go). The Reds have been threatening (and then un-threatening) for the final wild-card spot in the NL.

If they're going to do it, they'll need the offense to pick it up. Or just for the Mets and Giants to fully collapse. But they're not out of it yet. Francona says there's still hope, and with his track record, I'm going to take him at his word.

On any given day, the Rays will put five rookies in their starting lineup. Hunter Feduccia is splitting time at catcher, Bob Seymour is one of their lefty bats at first base, and both Jake Mangum and Chandler Simpson are regular starters in the outfield. But the newest rookie call-up is Carson Williams, the team's highly touted shortstop who is now playing next to 22-year-old third baseman Junior Caminero to form a future-has-arrived left side of the infield. Williams was called up in late August, and the Rays soon after let Ha-Seong Kim go on waivers to open the shortstop position full-time for the 2021 first-round pick. His numbers are mediocre so far, but the Rays are clearly committed to letting the kids play. -- Jennings

If you're a die-hard Royals fan, you're probably not quite ready to give up hope that they can leapfrog the Guardians, Rangers and either the Astros or Red Sox for a playoff spot. I won't deny you that dream; I'm not a loan officer. You do whatever you want.

For the rest of us, though, let's see ... Salvador Perez has already hit his 300th career home run. Bobby Witt Jr. has already hit his 100th. Vinny Pasquantino has already hit his 30th of the year.

So I guess it's worth flipping on a game and just hoping to catch a Witt defensive highlight, or to see Jac Caglianone's development and dream on what that will look like next year. -- Weaver

John Mozeliak's 18-year run at the head of the Cardinals will come to an end over the next fortnight, with Chaim Bloom taking over baseball operations. Last winter, St. Louis didn't quite execute its relatively bold plan to start playing for the future, and the season played out as you might have feared: The team was good enough to be respectable, but not good enough to legitimately contend for a playoff spot. The young players the Cardinals hoped would run with their opportunities for playing time have had, at best, mixed results. -- Britton

Kurtz has locked up the American League Rookie of the Year. But has he done enough to get his name listed in the top 10 on MVP ballots? He entered this week tied for 14th in the AL in wins above replacement (according to FanGraphs), tied with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. -- not bad for someone with almost 200 fewer plate appearances than the $500 million first baseman. The Athletics are a .500 team with Kurtz in the lineup; if not for that absurd 1-20 stretch earlier this season, the A's would have made the AL West an even more fun four-team race. -- Britton

The Orioles have been one of the biggest disappointments in the sport, but they've also been one of the best teams in September. (They had been legitimately great until a weekend sweep against the Blue Jays.) It's too late for this to mean anything for 2025, but a strong finish could change the way we think of the Orioles heading into 2026, especially if their rotation continues to show life.

The rotation was a glaring problem this year, but now Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells are finally healthy, and Trevor Rogers has been one of baseball's best pitchers since mid-June. Regardless of the way they finish, the Orioles can hardly afford to ignore their rotation this offseason, but those three could be a strong starting point to build around. The Orioles still have an intriguing young lineup. Are there any signs that they have at least a few arms to match? -- Jennings

The list of major-league fWAR leaders since Aug. 1 is a weird one. Juan Soto, Bobby Witt Jr. and Shohei Ohtani are in there, but so is Brice Turang, and Geraldo Perdomo is No. 1. Also firmly in the mix -- with a since-August WAR higher than Witt or Francisco Lindor -- is a Marlins outfielder named Jakob Marsee, who's quickly gone from modest prospect to down-ballot Rookie of the Year candidate. He came up after the trade deadline and got off to a blistering start, which he's basically maintained for a month and a half. Ignore the Marlins if you'd like, but you'll be missing out on one of the hottest hitters in the sport. -- Jennings

The Braves are a mess. Too many key players got hurt (again), and they're going to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2017. These guys were supposed to be World Series contenders, and instead they're in fourth place. But why were they considered contenders in the first place? Because they have a ton of talent, including former MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. (who's putting up his usual offensive numbers) and reigning Cy Young Chris Sale (who returned from a fractured rib cage at the end of August and promptly struck out nine in three straight starts). A disappointing team, still with enough high-end talent to dazzle once in a while. -- Jennings

Jo Adell is four homers shy of 40, Taylor Ward needs two RBIs for a 30/100 season and Zach Neto needs four homers and four steals to join the 30/30 club. Boy, you'd think this team would be closer to .500 if you knew all that. The positive side of things, though, is seeing Adell finally break out and Neto continue to improve. They're pieces to build around, though the Angels' habit of promoting their young players exceptionally early means the service time clock ticks faster for them. -- Britton

The cynical answer would have been "they're worth watching because it's a whole new team of players you don't know yet," but it's been a month and a half. And by now, you should already know Keaschall.

After a broken arm cost him a little over three months earlier this year, Keaschall has picked up just about where he left off. The only real bummer is that he did, in fact, surpass that 130-at-bat threshold, meaning he won't be eligible for 2026 AL Rookie of the Year.

But with his energy, speed and hustle, he's a delight to watch. In Minnesota these days, the delights are somewhat few and far between. So enjoy this one. -- Weaver

This is the easiest answer of any team on the list and it has been the answer since Opening Day. Skenes is just 10-9, but has a 1.92 ERA and 203 strikeouts in 178 innings this year. He could be wearing a Knibb High School football jersey, and it would still be must-see TV.

If you're a hard-core Pirates fan, there are other reasons to watch. Like ... the Steelers and Penguins aren't supposed to be very good this year, either. And the stadium always looks really aesthetically pleasing. And uhhh, you love baseball, clearly. If you didn't, you wouldn't still be reading about the Pirates in late September 2025. So enjoy it while it lasts, before it gets packed in for the winter, the snow starts to fall and you find yourself bemoaning a leaky boot, a cold, wet foot, and the realization that you miss the pain of Pittsburgh Pirates baseball. -- Weaver

At one point last week, I took a look at the last-10-games standings to see who was trending up and down. To my surprise, the White Sox were the hottest team in the league, at 8-2.

Then they were swept by the Guardians, and well, so much for that.

The White Sox still aren't a good baseball team, but they have at least improved on last year's 41-win finish, which seemed inevitable. So if you were hoping to see wins, you might have missed the second-half highlight.

But between Kyle Teel, Shane Smith, Colson Montgomery, Shane Smith and others, there is -- and you don't even have to squint too hard -- the makings of the next generation of good White Sox baseball in the coming years.

So if you're an "indie music" baseball fan ("I liked them before any of you even heard of them"), the White Sox might be your team for these waning weeks of the 2025 season. By 2027, you can show off your well-worn Edgar Quero jersey and be like, "Oh, this old thing? Yeah, I've had this for years." -- Weaver

The Nationals don't have a head of baseball operations. There's an interim GM, but the team is in the hiring process for a full-time decision maker. Have you submitted your resume? This might actually be a fun team to build around with James Wood, CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore forming a young core alongside rookies Dylan Crews, Brady House and Brad Lord. What would you do if put in charge? Would you trade some young talent and start over? Would you invest in a big arm or a big bat? The Nationals haven't been a very good team, but they're a young team, and they're a team worth dreaming of ways to make the roster better. -- Jennings

It's pretty reasonable to make the case, in mid-September, that Goodman has been the second-best catcher in the National League this season behind the Dodgers' Will Smith. Goodman leads NL catchers in homers and RBIs and is third in wins above replacement, behind Smith and Milwaukee's William Contreras. He's raised his average, on-base and slugging percentages by nearly 100 points each. That's something to smile about during an otherwise miserable season a mile high. -- Britton

MLB Power Rankings: The top 10 gets shaken up with two weeks to go; What to watch for every team