This article is part of our The Z Files series.
After a year off due to the pandemic schedule, here is my annual look at the schedule for the last month of the season, followed by some notes on the minor-league playoffs. Readers have found this useful, especially those with limited assets to acquire players down the stretch. I hope you can glean something from it to facilitate team management over the last month.
September Schedule Review
| Total | Home | Away | 8/30-9/2 | 9/3-9/5 | 9/6-9/9 | 9/10-9/12 | 9/13-9/16 | 9/17-9/19 | 9/20-9/23 | 9/24-9/26 | 9/27-9/30 | 10/1-10/3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI | 30 | 18 | 12 | 3 SD | 3 SEA | 2 TEX | 3 @SEA | 3 @LAD | 3 @HOU | 4 ATL | 3 LAD | 3 @SF | 3 COL |
| ATL | 32 | 15 | 17 | 3 @LAD | 4 @COL | 3 WAS | 3 MIA | 3 COL | 3 @SF | 4 @ARI | 3 @SD | 3 PHI | 3 NYM |
| BAL | 33 | 18 | 15 | 3 @TOR | 3 @NYY | 4 KC | 4 TOR | 3 NYY | 3 @BOS | 3 @PHI | 4 TEX | 3 BOS | 3 @TOR |
| BOS | 30 | 14 | 16 | 4 @TB | 3 CLE | 3 TB | 3 @CWS | 3 @SEA | 3 BAL | 2 NYM | 3 NYY | 3 @BAL | 3 @WAS |
| CHC | 30 | 16 | 14 | 2 @MIN | 4 PIT | 3 CIN | 3 SF | 3 @PHI | 3 @MIL | 2 MIN | 4 STL | 3 @PIT | 3 @STL |
| CIN | 30 | 16 | 14 | 3 STL | 3 DET | 3 @CHC | 3 @STL | 3 @PIT | 3 LAD | 3 PIT | 4 WAS | 2 @CWS | 3 @PIT |
| CLE | 34 | 16 | 18 | 3 @KC | 3 @BOS | 4 MIN | 3 MIL | 3 @MIN | 3 @NYY | 4 KC | 5 CWS | 3 @KC | 3 @TEX |
| COL |
After a year off due to the pandemic schedule, here is my annual look at the schedule for the last month of the season, followed by some notes on the minor-league playoffs. Readers have found this useful, especially those with limited assets to acquire players down the stretch. I hope you can glean something from it to facilitate team management over the last month.
September Schedule Review
| Total | Home | Away | 8/30-9/2 | 9/3-9/5 | 9/6-9/9 | 9/10-9/12 | 9/13-9/16 | 9/17-9/19 | 9/20-9/23 | 9/24-9/26 | 9/27-9/30 | 10/1-10/3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI | 30 | 18 | 12 | 3 SD | 3 SEA | 2 TEX | 3 @SEA | 3 @LAD | 3 @HOU | 4 ATL | 3 LAD | 3 @SF | 3 COL |
| ATL | 32 | 15 | 17 | 3 @LAD | 4 @COL | 3 WAS | 3 MIA | 3 COL | 3 @SF | 4 @ARI | 3 @SD | 3 PHI | 3 NYM |
| BAL | 33 | 18 | 15 | 3 @TOR | 3 @NYY | 4 KC | 4 TOR | 3 NYY | 3 @BOS | 3 @PHI | 4 TEX | 3 BOS | 3 @TOR |
| BOS | 30 | 14 | 16 | 4 @TB | 3 CLE | 3 TB | 3 @CWS | 3 @SEA | 3 BAL | 2 NYM | 3 NYY | 3 @BAL | 3 @WAS |
| CHC | 30 | 16 | 14 | 2 @MIN | 4 PIT | 3 CIN | 3 SF | 3 @PHI | 3 @MIL | 2 MIN | 4 STL | 3 @PIT | 3 @STL |
| CIN | 30 | 16 | 14 | 3 STL | 3 DET | 3 @CHC | 3 @STL | 3 @PIT | 3 LAD | 3 PIT | 4 WAS | 2 @CWS | 3 @PIT |
| CLE | 34 | 16 | 18 | 3 @KC | 3 @BOS | 4 MIN | 3 MIL | 3 @MIN | 3 @NYY | 4 KC | 5 CWS | 3 @KC | 3 @TEX |
| COL | 32 | 16 | 16 | 3 @TEX | 4 ATL | 3 SF | 4 @PHI | 3 @ATL | 3 @WAS | 3 LAD | 3 SF | 3 WAS | 3 @ARI |
| CWS | 30 | 13 | 17 | 2 PIT | 3 @KC | 3 @OAK | 3 BOS | 3 LAA | 3 @TEX | 3 @DET | 5 @CLE | 2 CIN | 3 DET |
| DET | 31 | 15 | 16 | 3 OAK | 3 @CIN | 3 @PIT | 3 TB | 2 MIL | 4 @TB | 3 CWS | 3 KC | 3 @MIN | 3 @CWS |
| HOU | 32 | 15 | 17 | 3 @SEA | 3 @SD | 3 SEA | 3 LAA | 4 @TEX | 3 ARI | 4 @LAA | 3 @OAK | 3 TB | 3 OAK |
| KC | 32 | 18 | 14 | 3 CLE | 3 CWS | 4 @BAL | 3 @MIN | 3 OAK | 3 SEA | 4 @CLE | 3 @DET | 3 CLE | 3 MIN |
| LAA | 31 | 17 | 14 | 3 NYY | 4 TEX | 2 @SD | 3 @HOU | 3 @CWS | 3 OAK | 4 HOU | 3 SEA | 3 @TEX | 3 @SEA |
| LAD | 31 | 15 | 16 | 3 ATL | 3 @SF | 4 @STL | 3 SD | 3 ARI | 3 @CIN | 3 @COL | 3 @ARI | 3 SD | 3 MIL |
| MIA | 30 | 15 | 15 | 3 @NYM | 3 PHI | 3 NYM | 3 @ATL | 3 @WAS | 3 PIT | 3 WAS | 3 @TB | 3 @NYM | 3 PHI |
| MIL | 31 | 16 | 15 | 4 @SF | 3 STL | 3 PHI | 3 @CLE | 2 @DET | 3 CHC | 4 STL | 3 NYM | 3 @STL | 3 @LAD |
| MIN | 32 | 15 | 17 | 2 CHC | 3 @TB | 4 @CLE | 3 KC | 3 CLE | 3 @TOR | 2 @CHC | 4 TOR | 3 DET | 3 @KC |
| NYM | 31 | 15 | 16 | 3 MIA | 5 @WAS | 3 @MIA | 3 NYY | 3 STL | 3 PHI | 2 @BOS | 3 @MIL | 3 MIA | 3 @ATL |
| NYY | 32 | 17 | 15 | 3 @LAA | 3 BAL | 4 TOR | 3 @NYM | 3 @BAL | 3 CLE | 3 TEX | 3 @BOS | 3 @TOR | 3 TB |
| OAK | 31 | 13 | 18 | 3 @DET | 3 @TOR | 3 CWS | 3 TEX | 3 @KC | 3 @LAA | 4 SEA | 3 HOU | 3 @SEA | 3 @HOU |
| PHI | 32 | 14 | 18 | 3 @WAS | 3 @MIA | 3 @MIL | 4 COL | 3 CHC | 3 @NYM | 3 BAL | 4 PIT | 3 @ATL | 3 @MIA |
| PIT | 31 | 15 | 16 | 2 @CWS | 4 @CHC | 3 DET | 3 WAS | 3 CIN | 3 @MIA | 3 @CIN | 4 @PHI | 3 CHC | 3 CIN |
| SD | 30 | 11 | 19 | 3 @ARI | 3 HOU | 2 LAA | 3 @LAD | 4 @SF | 3 @STL | 3 SF | 3 ATL | 3 @LAD | 3 @SF |
| SEA | 31 | 15 | 16 | 3 HOU | 3 @ARI | 3 @HOU | 3 ARI | 3 BOS | 3 @KC | 4 @OAK | 3 @LAA | 3 OAK | 3 LAA |
| SF | 32 | 20 | 12 | 4 MIL | 3 LAD | 3 @COL | 3 @CHC | 4 SD | 3 ATL | 3 @SD | 3 @COL | 3 ARI | 3 SD |
| STL | 33 | 16 | 17 | 3 @CIN | 3 @MIL | 4 LAD | 3 CIN | 3 @NYM | 3 SD | 4 @MIL | 4 @CHC | 3 MIL | 3 CHC |
| TB | 32 | 17 | 15 | 4 BOS | 3 MIN | 3 @BOS | 3 @DET | 3 @TOR | 4 DET | 3 TOR | 3 MIA | 3 @HOU | 3 @NYY |
| TEX | 32 | 16 | 16 | 3 COL | 4 @LAA | 2 @ARI | 3 @OAK | 4 HOU | 3 CWS | 3 @NYY | 4 @BAL | 3 LAA | 3 CLE |
| TOR | 33 | 18 | 15 | 3 BAL | 3 OAK | 4 @NYY | 4 @BAL | 3 TB | 3 MIN | 3 @TB | 4 @MIN | 3 NYY | 3 BAL |
| WAS | 33 | 17 | 16 | 3 PHI | 5 NYM | 3 @ATL | 3 @PIT | 3 MIA | 3 COL | 3 @MIA | 4 @CIN | 3 @COL | 3 BOS |
NOTES
The Twins and Tigers play a makeup game in Detroit on Monday, August 30
The Twins and Yankees play a makeup game in New York on Monday, September 13
On Tuesday, August 31, the Marlins and Mets will complete a game suspended from April 11, picking up in the top of the first at 0-0, so it is essentially a doubleheader
On Friday, September 24, Atlanta and San Diego will complete a game suspended from July 21 with the Padres leading 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning. The game is in Petco Park but Atlanta is the home team.
Minor-League Playoff Notes
Normally, I list the teams most likely to compete in the Triple-A playoffs since their parent club often opts to keep top prospects on the farm to experience post-season play. Not only are there only two roster expansion spots this season, but due to the late start of the minor-league campaign, there will be no traditional Triple-A playoffs. Below is the link to what will be done this season. The repercussion could be even fewer promotions down the stretch.
https://www.milb.com/events/playoffs/procedures
