3 teams for 2 NL Wild Card spots

Keeping tabs on the fight for two playoff berths in the National League

The National League Wild Card race has cleared up down the stretch, with three teams fighting for two spots.

The Milwaukee Brewers own the top Wild Card position, leading the St. Louis Cardinals by two games with just six left to play. The two teams meet for three games in St. Louis from Monday to Wednesday.

The Brewers were in first place in the National League Central for 67 days this season, but have mostly trailed since the All-Star game. However, after falling a season-worst six games behind the Cubs on Aug. 28, Milwaukee surged back in the division race thanks to 12 wins in 15 games, but currently trails Chicago by 2½ games.

The Cardinals are 40-23 under new manager Mike Shildt, after struggling to just a game over .500 before Mike Matheny was fired on July 14.

Just behind the Cardinals are the Colorado Rockies, who trail the Dodgers in a close divisional race in the NL West.

The best chance at chaos would be a three-team deadlock between the Dodgers, Rockies and Cardinals, which would involve tiebreakers for both the division and the Wild Card on the Monday and Tuesday after the regular season ends.

Both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies spent weeks in first place in their division this year, but a late fade knocked both out before the final week of the season.

Monday’s schedule

All times ET

Brewers at Cardinals, 8:15 p.m.

Phillies at Rockies, 8:40 p.m.