It feels like yesterday I was writing my preseason predictions column, and now, we are one week away from postseason baseball. The final week of the season might be one of the more drama-filled weeks of baseball we have had in awhile, like since 2011 with colossal collapses of teams in both leagues.

A little over a year ago, the Detroit Tigers completed a 2-1 walk off victory in extra innings against the New York Yankees, propelling the Tigers on a run to the postseason.

2025 was the next step, lead by ace Tarik Skubal, the Tigers were on a role, until the beginning of September. Since August 23rd, the Tigers had a 11.5 game on the Royals and a 12.5 game lead in the division. Since August 23rd, the Tigers have gove 7-18, and now hold just a one game lead over the surging Guardians for the AL Central lead.

It was unfathomable to think that the Tigers are in jeopardy of missing the postseason, let alone the division given the lead they had throughout the season, but here we are. Besides Tarik Skubal, the Tigers pitching is suspect with Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize have both been inconsistent at times this season, and deadline acquisition Charlie Morton was designated for assignment this week due to poor performance. The offense has also been inconsistent with Javier Baez coming back down to earth, hard, and Gleyber Torres struggling a bit as of late.

Meet the Mets, Meet the Mets, step right up and Beat the Mets.

Ah, the annual Mets collapse. Where do we place this one, ahead of 2007, or behind 2007 and ahead of 2008 or 2022? It feels like almost every time the Mets are good, shortly thereafter we are talking about a Mets collapse.

Since June 13th, the Mets have been the fourth worst team in baseball, posting a 35-52 record, and this is while Juan Soto was going nuts with a truly historic season.

The Mets pitching staff will be the demise of this team, weather they make it to the postseason, or collapse. The Mets starting pitching is incredibly inconsistent, for the exception of rookie Nolan McLean. Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong have both been inconsistent since being called up, and Sean Manaea has not been the pitcher the Mets expected this season, and David Peterson has really fallen off in the second half, posting an ERA north of seven. The Mets bullpen has also been a dark spot, with the three deadline acquisitions — Gregory Soto, Taylor Rodgers, and Ryan Healsy — have all been incredibly inconsistent throughout the season, which leads to spontaneous blow ups, and in turn losses.

The Mets also lack the ‘clutch’ gene. The Mets have a record of 0-68 when trailing after eight innings. The Mets have not had a single comeback when trailing after the ninth inning, and their extra innings record at home is 3-4 on the season, with two of the four losses, both by one run, were in extras, where the Mets could not situationally hit to even tie the game, let alone win it.

The Mets will enter play on Tuesday tied with the Reds for the third wildcard spot, but due to the head-to-head record (4-2 in favor of the Reds), the Mets would be heading home if the season ended today. With the payroll the Mets have, missing the postseason would be one of the biggest collapses in modern sports history.

The Cleveland Guardians are on the rise out of nowhere. Written off for much of the year as the Detroit Tigers built a commanding division lead, Cleveland refused to fold, stringing together winning streaks and riding a revitalized roster to narrow the AL Central gap.

The surge has been powered by a balanced mix of veterans and youth. Pitching has stabilized behind breakout performances in the rotation, while the bullpen has delivered in high-leverage moments. Offensively, timely hitting and aggressive baserunning have turned close games into crucial wins, giving the Guardians an identity as one of baseball’s grittiest contenders.

At one point, Detroit’s advantage in the standings looked untouchable. Now, the Guardians have turned the division into a toss-up, adding pressure with every passing series. Whether Cleveland completes the comeback or not, their “rise out of nowhere” has redefined the AL Central race and made them one of the most talked-about stories of the 2025 season.

The Seattle Mariners made a resounding statement over the weekend, completing a sweep of the Houston Astros that not only pushed Houston out of playoff position for the time being but also underscored Seattle’s growing dominance down the stretch. In a series packed with clutch hitting, deep pitching performances, and strong defense, the Mariners left little doubt about their legitimacy as a postseason force.

For Houston, the sweep was crushing. Long considered a perennial playoff contender, the Astros suddenly find themselves on the outside looking in, their margin for error shrinking with each passing series. Seattle, meanwhile, has seized momentum at the perfect time. Their lineup is producing up and down the order, while the rotation has delivered quality starts and the bullpen has shut the door in tight spots.

The sweep represents more than just three wins — it’s a shift in the balance of power in the American League. Once a team on the fringe, the Mariners are now shaping the playoff landscape, sending a clear message to the rest of baseball: the road to October will have to go through Seattle.