At the beginning of the baseball season, it can be difficult to tell which teams have big advantages in scheduling. Sure, the American League Central was going to be an easy ride with the rebuilding Royals, Tigers and White Sox. The AL East is tough at the top, but playing the Orioles and Blue Jays more often can serve as a balance.
With just over a quarter of the season remaining, the advantages and disadvantages in the remaining schedule are a little more apparent.
What follows is a closer look at the remaining races and which teams could use the schedule to benefit their run to the playoffs.
AL Central
Indians' schedule: Red Sox, at Yankees, at Mets, Royals, at Tigers, at Rays, White Sox, at Twins, at Angels, Twins, Tigers, Phillies, at White Sox, at Nationals
Twins' schedule: at Brewers, at Rangers, White Sox, Tigers, at White Sox, at Tigers, at Red Sox, Indians, Nationals, at Indians, White Sox, Royals, at Tigers, at Royals
There is one two-team race remaining in baseball, so let's tackle that first. Cleveland and Minnesota will have opportunities to determine the division against each other with two more head-to-head series. If the clubs hold serve against each other, Minnesota will have a huge advantage schedulewise.
If we remove common opponents the rest of the way, the Twins' schedule includes the Brewers, Rangers, Royals, Tigers and White Sox. Only the Brewers and Rangers have winning records, with the latter three all well under .500. Compare that to Cleveland's opponents: the Yankees, Rays, Phillies, Mets and Angels. Four of those five teams are in playoff races and the Angels aren't exactly terrible.
The Indians will need to do well against the Twins when they meet, because they might have a tough time gaining on Minnesota given their respective schedules.
National League Central
Cardinals' schedule: at Royals, at Reds, Brewers, Rockies, at Brewers, Reds, Giants, at Pirates, at Rockies, Brewers, Nationals, at Cubs, at Diamondbacks, Cubs
Cubs' schedule: at Phillies, at Pirates, Giants, Nationals, at Mets, Brewers, Mariners, at Brewers, at Padres, Pirates, Reds, Cardinals, at Pirates, at Cardinals
Brewers' schedule: Twins, at Nationals, at Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, at Cubs, Astros, Cubs, at Marlins, at Cardinals, Padres, Pirates, at Reds, at Rockies
The NL Central race is close and won't likely be over until the final few weeks of the season. The Brewers and Cardinals have three series against each other, and the Cubs and Brewers face off twice at the end of August and the beginning of September. If the Cubs and Cardinals are anywhere close to each other in mid-September, the final few weeks of the season will decide things, as the two clubs play two out of their last three series against each other.
As for the remaining schedules, the Brewers have it the toughest, with games against division-leading Houston and Minnesota. They do get a series against Miami, but nearly every other game on the schedule could be at least somewhat competitive.
The Cubs get the benefit of three series against the reeling Pirates, as well as a quick series against the Mariners. The Cardinals' schedule is in the middle of the two, but with 16 games remaining against the Cubs and Brewers, they will need to take care of business in the division.
AL wild card
Rays' schedule: at Padres, Tigers, Mariners, at Orioles, at Astros, Indians, Orioles, Blue Jays, at Rangers, at Angels, at Dodgers, Red Sox, Yankees, at Blue Jays
A's' schedule: at Giants, Astros, Yankees, Giants, at Royals, at Yankees, Angels, Tigers, at Astros, at Rangers, Royals, Rangers, at Angels, at Mariners
The AL wild card looks to be a three-team race for two spots among the AL Central loser, the Rays and the A's. We could include the Red Sox, who do have a fairly favorable schedule, but they have a lot of ground to make up. We went over the Twins and Indians earlier, with Minnesota having an easier schedule, and both of those teams are a few games ahead of the Rays and A's.
In Oakland, the schedule isn't terrible, but the A's do have two series against Houston and one against the Yankees. If they can take care of business against the Royals, Tigers, Giants, Angels, Rangers and Mariners, they should be able to make up for any losses against the Astros.
The Rays' schedule is fairly similar. They have one fewer series against Houston and just one series against the Yankees, but they also have a couple of games against the Dodgers, a series against Cleveland and a late-September series against the Red Sox.
For both the A's and the Rays, it is feast or famine with their opponents, and they'll either need to hold their ground against the league's best or destroy the teams at the bottom to qualify for the playoffs.
NL East/wild card
Braves' schedule: Mets, Dodgers, Marlins, at Mets, at Rockies (1), at Blue Jays, White Sox, Blue Jays, Nationals, at Phillies, at Nationals, Phillies, Giants, at Royals, at Mets
Nationals' schedule: Reds, Brewers, at Pirates, at Cubs, Orioles, Marlins, Mets, at Braves, at Twins, Braves, at Cardinals, at Marlins, Phillies, Indians
Phillies' schedule: Cubs, Padres, at Red Sox, at Marlins, Pirates, Mets, at Reds, at Mets, Braves, Red Sox, at Braves, at Indians, at Nationals, Marlins
Mets' schedule: at Braves, at Royals, Indians, Braves, Cubs, at Phillies, at Nationals, Phillies, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, at Rockies, at Reds, Marlins, Braves
Diamondbacks' schedule: at Rockies, Giants, Rockies, at Brewers, at Giants, Dodgers, Padres, at Reds, at Mets, Reds, Marlins, at Padres, Cardinals, Padres
The Braves do have a solid lead in their division, and they stand to benefit from an easier schedule, though they do have to play three games in three different cities on consecutive days at the end of the month (Mets, Rockies, Blue Jays) due to a makeup game in Denver. If there is to be a race for the division, Washington is going to need to make the most of two series in early September.
As for the remaining teams, the Mets just rode the easiest part of their schedule to get back in the race. It will get a lot tougher from here on out, with matchups against every division leader, including the Braves three times, plus Cleveland, Washington, Philadelphia (twice) and Arizona. If they are still in the race in late September, their closing schedule against the Rockies, Reds, Marlins and the maybe-already-clinched Braves presents an opportunity.
The Phillies have it just as bad as the Mets, with a bunch of games against the Braves, plus the Red Sox, Cubs and Indians. If they are in a fight with the Nationals for a wild-card spot, the two teams play a big series right before Philadelphia closes with the Marlins.
The Diamondbacks don't have it as tough as the Mets and Phillies, but it isn't as easy as the Nationals. They have a bunch of games against the bottom of their division plus a few against the Marlins and Padres. It's not a cakewalk, but hardly a disaster.
Overall, the wild-card schedule favors the Cardinals and Nationals, with the Brewers and Diamondbacks in the middle and the Mets and Phillies needing to finish very strong if they want to make the playoffs.