Washington Nationals: R.A. Dickey

Record: 63–43, .594 

Standings: 12 games ahead in NL East 

Playoff Odds: 99.9%

While the Nats added lefty Sean Doolittle and righties Ryan Madson and Brandon Kintzler to shore up a dreadful bullpen, they have yet to confront the loss of Joe Ross to Tommy John surgery. They're also dealing with Stephen Strasburg's nerve impingement and, most recently, Max Scherzer's bout of neck stiffness. Edwin Jackson's high-wire act can only last so long; the Nationals need innings. Unlike fellow 40-something-year-old Bartolo Colon (now a Twin, and on the brink of retirement every time he gets pounded), the knuckleballing Dickey has enjoyed a modest revival this year, pitching to a 4.08 ERA while averaging over six innings per turn. He's making $7.5 million this year with a buyout of $0.5 million for next.