Diamondbacks have narrow road to postseason

PHOENIX, Ariz. (KYMA) - The Arizona Diamondbacks face a difficult path to the postseason as the Major League Baseball regular season enters its final week.

After going 4-6 over their last 10 games, Arizona sits four games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League's final Wild Card spot with six games remaining. To catch Philadelphia, the Diamondbacks must make up all four games over that stretch. For example, if the Phillies were to lose all six of their remaining games, Arizona would still need to finish at least 4-2 to draw even. If both teams end with the same record, the Diamondbacks hold the tiebreaker over the Phillies.

The Phillies conclude their regular season schedule at home against two playoff-bound opponents. Philadelphia will host the Milwaukee Brewers, who are still battling for the National League's top seed, before facing the Tampa Bay Rays, who have already secured the American League's No. 1 seed.

The Diamondbacks also remain in pursuit of the San Diego Padres. To overtake San Diego, Arizona would need favorable results during each team's upcoming series. One scenario would require the Diamondbacks to win two of three games against the Colorado Rockies while the Padres are swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Another possibility would see Arizona sweep Colorado while San Diego loses two of three games to Los Angeles.

Regardless of those outcomes, the Diamondbacks would then need to sweep the Padres in the teams' regular-season finale series in San Diego.

Arizona's path to catching the Chicago Cubs is even more straightforward, though equally challenging. The Diamondbacks would need to win each of their remaining six games while the Cubs lose all six of theirs.

Chicago closes the regular season with a home series against the Miami Marlins before traveling to Boston for its final three games of the year.

With only a handful of games left on the schedule, the Diamondbacks will need both a strong finish and significant help from other teams if they hope to secure a postseason berth.