Atlanta Braves playoff odds rise after wins, Mets and Diamondbacks losses

The Atlanta Braves won the first game of their series against the Kansas City Royals 3-0. They have now won their fourth straight game and improved to 87-71 on the season.

Meanwhile, the New York Mets lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 8-4 and the Arizona Diamondbacks lost to the San Diego Padres 5-3.

All three teams are now tied in the wildcard standings. Winning percentage puts the Braves and Mets above the playoff line and the Diamondbacks are the first team to be eliminated. There is maximum chaos in the final days of the regular season.

Amid the chaos, the Braves' playoff hopes have continued to rise. Heading into the day, they had a 64.4% chance of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs. Now it is 90.8%.

It's not a guarantee, but they are in full control of their destiny. They already have the tiebreaker over the Diamondbacks and all they have to do is split the doubleheader with the Mets to seal another tiebreaker.

All they have to do is keep winning and then they'll be playing baseball in October. Their opponent, the Royals, secured a playoff spot in the American League despite the loss. They won't be playing at 100% for the next few days as there are postseason games coming up. That can help the Braves quite a bit.

The playoff race is so close that oddsmakers like FanDuel have removed the ability to bet on who will make the playoffs. It was previously documented that betting providers favored the Braves to make the playoffs.

Keep that in mind as the playoff odds continue to climb. The Braves are where they are while weathering every injury imaginable. No Ronald Acuna Jr. or Austin Riley or Spencer Strider.

Max Fried, Michael Harris II, Sean Murphy and Reynaldo Lopez have all missed significant playing time. These injuries typically sideline a team. But here they are.

The Braves continue their final push on Saturday with the second game of their series against the Royals. They are aiming for a series win. Reynaldo Lopez will take the mound upon his return from the injured list. First pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m

Meanwhile, the Mets continue their series with the Brewers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. EDT. The Diamondbacks continue their series with the Padres. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. EDT.