The National League is an absolute mess - any of the five playoff seeds are still wide open and no team has clinched as of yet. Hypothetically speaking, the Nationals, Pirates, and Giants could all still win their respective divisions. However, the postseason picture for the Senior Circuit is essentially down to eight teams: the Cubs, Braves, Rockies, Brewers, Dodgers, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, and Phillies. With still so much to be determined - and a potential game 163 feeling increasingly imminent - let's take a look at one factor affecting each team's postseason chances. The Brewers are breathing down their neck for the division lead and have a pretty easy schedule down the stretch. In their final 13 games, the Cubs will have to rely on a decimated bullpen with and sidelined. Over the last 30 days, , , , , and have combined for a sub-optimal 3. Braves - Aaron Nola Kevin C. If everything stays the same in Philadelphia's rotation, the Braves will be forced to face twice over their remaining 14 games; once in the finale of their upcoming four-game set, and then in the opener of the last series of the season. In three starts against the Braves, the ace has held hitters to a. As a result, the Braves have been forced to the running game, stealing four bags with Nola on the hill. That strategy may need to be recalibrated though, as the Phillies have relied heavily on and his plus defense behind the dish. The 25-year-old owns an unbelievable 2. It's a remarkable achievement, and while the next two series - against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks - will mean a lot, the final seven games are all at home against the Phillies and Nationals. The Rockies will almost definitely need Freeland to continue whatever voodoo magic he has harnessed to conquer Coors for those final games, which will almost definitely feature two starts from the Colorado native. And, if we go to the tape, there are some interesting stats about the club's star right-hander. First, the Brewers will face the division-rival Cardinals in their penultimate series of the season in a three-game set that will be crucial for both teams. Chacin has been obliterated by St. Louis this year, owning a 6. The 30-year-old has been borderline dominant against all other opponents, though, holding hitters to an impressive. Missing the Cardinals and instead taking the hill against the lowly Tigers in the final series of the regular season would give him every opportunity to continue that run of success. And, if Los Angeles wants to keep that rolling, their third baseman may need to keep performing at his superhuman level. Over the past 30 days, the 33-year-old Turner has posted a 1. Adding intrigue, with a crucial set upcoming against the Diamondbacks, it's worthwhile to remember that Turner has made a habit of torturing Arizona. In 281 career plate appearances against the D-Backs, Turner has a. This year, he's 5-for-12 with three walks. Maybe it's unfair to pin the hopes of such a talented roster on the one player who has resoundingly done his part, but if Turner keeps performing this way, Dodgers fans may forget about 's. However, while his defense remains elite, the outfielder has tapered off at the plate. Over the past 30 days, Bader has been unable to flaunt his elite running game due to a pedestrian. Even further, he's striking out in more than one-third of his plate appearances. By contrast, during St. Louis' eight-game win streak last month, Bader authored a remarkable. As the rookie goes, so too do the Cardinals, or so it seems. Now, Rodney is playing a key role as setup man for the playoff-hopeful , while the D-Backs bullpen is in shambles. Forced into a closer-by-committee situation this late in the season, Boxberger, , and have all had their shortcomings. Save for May, Boxberger has looked beatable; since the beginning of June, he owns a 6. Bradley has the best swing-and-miss stuff in Arizona's 'pen, but hitters have learned to lay off recently, as his on-base percentage in the second half has swelled to. In Hirano's first season stateside, the 34-year-old has adapted well, though his already low strikeout totals perilously fell to 10. Through May, the 26-year-old outfielder owned a. Those numbers have since dropped precipitously. Since the All-Star break, Herrera owns a miserable. If he can turn it on down the stretch - particularly in their seven remaining games against the Braves - then the Phillies may still have a chance to squeeze into that coveted wild-card spot which they currently trail by five games.
