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We are at the end of the regular season in 2018, with only a week of games to play. There are still playoff races to settle, but we mostly know what is at stake for us in October, with regards to the clashes. With that in mind, let's talk about the teams that will not play in the playoffs next year, for example how the Braves and Athletics crushed the party this season.
The easy choice: the spokes
OK, so the Rays come Monday technically still alive, but I do not think they will win, while the A are losers, making them an easy choice for next season. They have a good shot at winning 90 games this season after starting 4-13. They do not lose anyone either to the free agency.
Looking forward, Tommy Pham has been such a monster since his arrival, he could certainly be the anchor of the attack next year. Some players with lesser major league experience, such as Jake Bauers, Joey Wendle, Willy Adames and Austin Meadows, have sometimes shown potential and can take advantage of it.
There is no reason to doubt that Blake Snell will continue to pitch as an ace and that the Rays have played well with their opening strategy. We will probably see the best hope, Brent Honeywell, return to a point in the season (probably late) of Tommy John's operation.
It is also believed that the spokes have one of the best baseball farming systems. A return to the post-season could take place in 2019.
The choice "Build 2018": Phillies
The Phillies have collapsed this season, but they have already won 12 more games than last season and they have a shot from 66-96 to a winning record. It's a feather in their cap and once they've taken the distance the last two months, they'll certainly be aware of that.
The Phillies have young players like Jorge Alfaro, Scott Kingery, J.P. Crawford and even Rhys Hoskins who could still improve next season.
Aaron Nola is now an ace in front of the rotation while Zach Eflin and Nick Pivetta could improve.
In addition, the Phillies could make a monstrous appearance in the free agency. They will sue Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. Landing at least one of them will be a major boost.
The other big task of the inter-season is to find a way to correct this terrible defense.
The choice: White Sox
The White Sox have gone 19-18 since August 13th and it is an arbitrary criterion, but it also shows that they are closing the season much better than their records. If they wish, the White Sox could spend a lot on free will.
They also have a lot of young talents that could be about to break through in 2019, such as Yoan Moncada, Reynaldo Lopez (he has already started playing), Lucas Giolito, Carlos Rodon and Eloy Jimenez in 2019. We could probably include people like Tim Anderson and Daniel Palka. I've written more about the progress of the White Sox this season here.
The shooter: Padres
I think the Padres actually arrived in 2020, but we have seen teams playoffs "a year ago," and we could probably put the 2018 Braves in this category. I have already written a lot about the potential future of the Padres, so you can check it here.
As for what happens in the present, let's classify them.
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