There are only 17 games remaining in the 2026 regular season, and the Arizona Diamondbacks are currently projected to be a Wild Card team.

The National League is far more competitive than the American League, but the D-backs know their greatest competition is in their own division.

A 77-68 record would easily net them the third and final AL Wild Card spot, but seeing as this team is stuck in the NL, they're going to be in a tight battle down the stretch against the San Diego Padres.

There's a very real chance the final Wild Card team isn't determined until the final series of the year, which sees the Diamondbacks go to San Diego for a three-game slate that will likely decide which team's season comes to an end.

That said, the Chicago Cubs suddenly only have a four-game lead on the D-backs, and the Philadelphia Phillies are only half a game ahead of the Cubs. 

Seeing both the D-backs and Padres make the playoffs would be an incredible turn of events, an unlikely one at that, but it's worth monitoring both the Cubs and Phillies down the stretch as crazier things have happened.

Of the four teams fighting for three playoff spots, the D-backs' 6-4 record in their last 10 games is the second best. The Phillies, to no surprise, lead the way at 7-3, while the Cubs have gone 5-5 and the Padres are just 4-6.

Arizona is riding a three-game winning streak, and they've won four of their last five, which includes a 1-0 victory over the Phillies.

The D-backs may have lost that series, but manager Torey Lovullo's squad was at least able to take one game against one of their biggest competitors. 

Looking ahead, the D-backs schedule features a few big tests, but also a couple of series they should have no issues winning.

Remember, the D-backs are only half a game up on the Padres, and the final series of the year will determine who has the tiebreaker.

For now, Arizona would love to take care of business against the Kansas City Royals, and then they have a pair of winnable series against the Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies.

Things will get interesting when they host the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees as part of a nine-game homestand from September 11-20, but that's a stretch that could dictate how comfortable the D-backs should be heading into their final six games, all of which are on the road.