How D-backs can clinch the final NL Wild Card spot

As we enter the final weekend of the regular season, the National League Wild Card race is poised to go down to the wire. Three teams are still in the running. But only one can make it.

The D-backs (80-79) remain in pursuit of that final spot, sitting two games behind the Mets (82-77) and one behind the Reds (81-78). Arizona has a series against the Padres in San Diego on tap, while the Mets square off with the Marlins in Miami and the Reds face the Brewers in Milwaukee. The Friars know they'll be facing the Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series, but home-field advantage for the best of three is still up for grabs.

As far as tiebreakers go, the D-backs only hold the advantage over the Mets. The D-backs split with New York (3-3) in their six regular-season games, but Arizona would be guaranteed to finish the season with a better division record (the next tiebreaker) than the Mets if the two teams end up tied for a Wild Card spot. They’d lose a tiebreaker with the Reds based on head-to-head record and would also be eliminated if the three teams all end up with the same record.

With the worst record of the three teams, the D-backs need a lot of help to get in. Even if they sweep the Padres, they’d still need both the Mets and Reds to go 1-2 or worse in their series. If they go 2-1, they’d need each of New York and Cincinnati to get swept.

In short, the D-backs still have a path to the postseason, but it’s not going to be easy.