NL Wild Card update: Braves creating solid cushion in race

We’ve got two more months to go in the 2022 MLB regular season. The National League playoff picture still isn’t taking much shape with plenty of teams fighting to get in through the Wild Card, which is now three teams. Six teams will make the postseason from the NL and the top two seeds will get a bye in the first round, which is a three-game series. The worst division winner will face the third WC team. The first and second WC teams will face each other. Below is an updated look at the NL Wild Card standings.

NL Wild Card standings, August 9

1st Wild Card: Atlanta Braves — 64-46, +4.0
2nd Wild Card: Philadelphia Phillies — 60-48, +1.0
3rd Wild Card: San Diego Padres — 61-51 —

Milwaukee Brewers — 58-50, 1.5 GB
San Francisco Giants — 54-55, 5.5 GB

As you can see, the Phillies, Cardinals and Brewers are all tied in the third WC spot. Of course, one of the Brewers or Cardinals will likely end up winning the NL Central. So unless the Giants make a run, it should be the five other teams above fighting to get into the postseason. The Pads shouldn’t be able to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. The Braves have a chance to catch the New York Mets in first in the NL East, only 4.5 games back in the division. The defending champs could drop to the second WC now that the Pads have Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Brandon Drury.