Tampa Bay Rays lead MLB playoff hopefuls in luck as season nears end
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 15, 2026, 9:43 PM
Last updated Sep 15, 2026
Heading into Tuesday night's games, the Tampa Bay Rays held a 90-59 record despite a projected win-loss of 82-67, reflecting an 8-win gap attributed to luck. Their close call against the Padres highlighted this trend, as a botched play turned into a key home run. Other contenders, such as the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies, also show overperformance in their records, while teams like the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees have underperformed relative to their run differentials. With under two weeks left in the regular season, the impending playoffs will test the fate of these teams built on luck.
- •Rays are 90-59 with a projected record of 82-67.
- •Astros lead AL West at 75-75 despite a worse projection.
- •Cubs have the largest shortfall, projected at 90-61 but at 84-67.
- •Under two weeks remain in the regular season.
- •Playoffs will challenge teams' luck versus actual performance.
- 9:43 PMYahoo Sports — Who is MLB's luckiest playoff team? Where all the contenders sit
"The Rays are winning 8 more games than they should. Here's how the rest of this year's playoff field compares, team by team.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
MLB•Sep 15, 2026, 10:54 PMLos Angeles Dodgers Manager Drops Blunt Edwin Diaz Quote Before Reds Game
MLB•Sep 15, 2026, 10:54 PMAtlanta Braves vs Tampa Bay Rays (1-1)- MLB•Sep 15, 2026, 10:54 PMWashington Nationals vs Philadelphia Phillies
MLB•Sep 15, 2026, 10:54 PMChicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates (2-3)
MLB•Sep 15, 2026, 10:40 PMPete Alonso returns to Citi Field with Orioles on verge of 300th home run
MLB•Sep 15, 2026, 10:40 PMGame 151: Yankees at Twins
