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Ranking contenders' schedules from easiest to hardest

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

We're into the home stretch of the baseball season, and the races for October are tighter than ever. No less than 18 teams are within at least four games of a playoff berth, meaning September is sure to give us some spectacular contests. But who has the greatest advantage? As the final month of the season begins, we ranked each contending team by the strength of their remaining schedule, from easiest to hardest.

18. Chicago Cubs

NL Central 1st place
Record 86-47
Games Remaining 29
vs. sub-.500 13
vs. .500 16
vs. division 23
Home 13
Road 16

They're just tuning up for October at this point, and even a few tough September series against the Giants, Cardinals, and Astros probably won't slow the North Side juggernaut down.

17. New York Mets

NL East 2nd place (9.5 GB)
Wild Card 3rd place (2 GB)
Record 69-65
Games Remaining 28
vs. sub-.500 19
vs. .500 9
vs. division 22
Home 13
Road 15

The slipping Mets need a break to stay in the race, and the schedule gods gave them a big one. They have more games against losing teams than any other NL wild card contender, and get series against three of the six worst teams in baseball. The path to October is there, if they want to take it.

16. Texas Rangers

AL West 1st place
Record 80-54
Games Remaining 28
vs. sub-.500 18
vs. .500 10
vs. division 22
Home 15
Road 13

If they can just weather the storm of early September, the Rangers' last two weeks should be a breeze. After Sept. 14, Texas plays just three road games in Oakland, and its final six games are at home against Milwaukee and Tampa Bay. By then, the AL West could be iced.

15. Washington Nationals

NL East 1st place
Record 78-55
Games Remaining 29
vs. sub-.500 14
vs. .500 15
vs. division 22
Home 12
Road 17

They'll be playing nearly half their games against losing clubs down the stretch, so the Nats should have no trouble holding off the Marlins and Mets in the division race, assuming their health holds up.

14. Kansas City Royals

AL Central 3rd place (7.5 GB)
Wild Card 3rd place (3 GB)
Record 69-64
Games Remaining 29
vs. sub-.500 17
vs. .500 12
vs. division 25
Home 17
Road 12

A nine-game winning streak has propelled the defending champs back into the playoff picture, and now they get a pretty decent schedule down the stretch. Aside from six games against each of Cleveland and Detroit, it's all sub-.500 opponents.

13. Pittsburgh Pirates

NL Central 3rd place (18 GB)
Wild Card 4th place (2.5 GB)
Record 67-64
Games Remaining 31
vs. sub-.500 18
vs. .500 13
vs. division 24
Home 17
Road 14

Pittsburgh's best chance to make some gains in the wild-card race will come in the form of an 11-game road trip to Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Milwaukee. A season-ending series against the Cardinals could also have massive implications.

12. San Francisco Giants

NL West 2nd place (2 GB)
Wild Card 1st place (+1.5)
Record 72-61
Games Remaining 29
vs. sub-.500 16
vs. .500 13
vs. division 22
Home 13
Road 16

Series against the Cubs, Cardinals, and Dodgers will decide the standings, but the sliding Giants can get out of their slump with September matchups against San Diego, Arizona, and even Colorado.

11. Houston Astros

AL West 2nd place (8.5 GB)
Wild Card 2nd place (1 GB)
Record 71-62
Games Remaining 29
vs. sub-.500 13
vs. .500 16
vs. division 22
Home 13
Road 16

Ten of their last 16 games are against the A's and Angels. Those other six games down the stretch will be against the Mariners, and those are shaping up to be the difference-makers. Plus they still have to face the Rangers, Indians, and Cubs.

10. Miami Marlins

NL East 3rd place (9.5 GB)
Wild Card 3rd place (3 GB)
Record 68-66
Games Remaining 28
vs. sub-.500 13
vs. .500 15
vs. division 22
Home 16
Road 12

The Marlins have more home games than any other National League wild-card contender, though a bunch of games against Washington and the Dodgers will push the Fish in September.

9. Detroit Tigers

AL Central 2nd place (4.5 GB)
Wild Card Tied in 2nd
Record 72-61
Games Remaining 29
vs. sub-.500 13
vs. .500 16
vs. division 23
Home 14
Road 15

The good news: Their final series will be against a Braves team that will likely just want to go home. The bad news: They have seven games left against the first-place Indians, against whom they're 1-11 on the season.

8. Cleveland Indians

AL Central 1st place
Record 76-56
Games Remaining 30
vs. sub-.500 10
vs. .500 20
vs. division 23
Home 16
Road 14

The Tribe still have to play 23 in-division games, but three of those are against the lowly Twins and seven come against the Tigers, against whom they're 11-1 on the season.

7. St. Louis Cardinals

NL Central 2nd place (15.5 GB)
Wild Card 2nd place 
Record 70-62
Games Remaining 30
vs. sub-.500 11
vs. .500 19
vs. division 23
Home 14
Road 16

While they get some breaks against the Reds and Brewers, the Cardinals still have to make one more west coast trip in September - where they'll face a possible wild-card game opponent in the Giants. Also, there's those six games left against the Cubs that could derail the machine.

6. Seattle Mariners

AL West 3rd place (11.5 GB)
Wild Card 4th place (4 GB)
Record 68-65
Games Remaining 29
vs. sub-.500 16
vs. .500 13
vs. division 23
Home 17
Road 12

The M's have a tough road if they're going to end baseball's longest playoff drought. Although four season-ending games against Oakland will help, Seattle still has to face Texas and Houston multiple times, along with a possible wild-card battle with the Blue Jays.

5. Toronto Blue Jays

AL East 1st place
Record 76-57
Games Remaining 29
vs. sub-.500 10
vs. .500 19
vs. division 22
Home 13
Road 16

The Blue Jays seem to play a lot better at Rogers Centre, so they can't be thrilled about a ton of inter-division road games and a September west coast trip. Like every year, playing in the AL East gives you no favors on the scheduling front.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers

NL West 1st place
Record 74-59
Games Remaining 29
vs. sub-.500 13
vs. .500 16
vs. division 23
Home 13
Road 16

The road beckons for the Dodgers, who get 16 of their final 29 away from Chavez Ravine and will visit the Yankees. As usual, their fate is probably going to come down to - what else - Dodgers-Giants on the last day of the season.

3. Boston Red Sox

AL East 2nd place (2 GB)
Wild Card 1st place (+2)
Record 74-59
Games Remaining 29
vs. sub-.500 9
vs. .500 20
vs. division 23
Home 10
Road 19

Nineteen of Boston's final 29 games will be played away from Fenway Park, and 23 of them will be against AL East opponents. Even the "break" against the Padres is hazardous because it's in San Diego - which means risk Big Papi in the field or lose him for three games down the stretch.

2. Baltimore Orioles

AL East 3rd place (4 GB)
Wild Card T-2nd place
Record 72-61
Games Remaining 29
vs. sub-.500 10
vs. .500 19
vs. division 23
Home 14
Road 15

Much like their division rival Red Sox and Blue Jays, the Orioles will face 19 teams with a record at or above .500. On top of that, only six of their final 29 games will be played against non-AL East opponents. Buckle up, Baltimore.

1. New York Yankees

AL East 3rd place (6.5 GB)
Wild Card 2nd place (2.5 GB)
Record 69-63
Games Remaining 30
vs. sub-.500 7
vs. .500 23
vs. division 27
Home 16
Road 14

If the Baby Bombers want to shock the world, they'll have to get through maybe the toughest September schedule out there. Only the seven games against Tampa Bay save the Yankees from facing an entire month of playoff contenders.

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