Cards 19-7 Thrashing of Nats Finally Clarifies Playoff Picture

For weeks all 10 Statis-Pro NL qualifiers have been at least tied for one of the 6 playoff spots. That changed when Bader reached base his first 6 times at bat including 3 doubles and a homer and Arenado finished a 7 of 11 series with 3 doubles in a 19-6 sweep over the Nats.

The one key pitcher was recemtly acquired JA Happ. Since we only use 4 starting pitchers, pitchers like Happ can pitch long relief for up to 3 innings, and after Soto blasted his 3rd homer of the twin bill to cut the deficit to 10-7 and chase mikolas in the 4th, Happ came in for a scoreless 2 1-3 for the win.

If the playoffs were help now, we finally have 6 teams that would make it. 

6-seed Giants at 3-seed Dodgers, with a Dodgers win sending them to play 2-seed Mets or Giants win sending them to face 1-seed Brewers.

5-seed Cardinals at 4-seed Braves with winner getting the other 1 or 2 seed.

The 4 through 6 are tied, but Braves are 10-2 in the head-to-head between the 3 due to a 6-0 series sweep over the Giants and 4-2 series over the Cards, who they must play again.

Here are the standings before the Cards-Nats series, with every team at least a 0 for no games out of the last wild card spot.

Here are the after standings with the Cards win bumbing 4 teams out of the playoffs with minus signs. The Nats are in last at 2 games out (-2) while the Cubs, Reds and Padres are 1 game out (the Padres still need to play the Giants, so this could flip).