The regular season begins in March, and while there aren’t any scheduled games in October this year, it’s not unusual for the regular season to bleed into that month. But on the whole, it is simple to think of a baseball season in six one-month increments, half a year, broken up into segments. Which means, now that we’re past the Trade Deadline and entering Labor Day … we only have one month to go. This is it. This is the stretch run.

As always, we finish with a look back at the month that was.

Team That Doesn’t Want This Month to End: Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks spent the first half of the season insisting that they were better than the team that reached the World Series last year, despite a worse record and some struggling stars like Corbin Carroll. They were vindicated by a 17-8 record in July but made their real move in August, when they essentially secured at least a Wild Card spot for themselves and even made a bit of a run at the Dodgers atop the NL West. Everything is coming together for them, from a stabilizing rotation to a blistering-hot offense, which features stars like Ketel Marte and Carroll (who looks closer to himself again) and emerging cult heroes like rookie catcher Adrian Del Castillo. You don’t want any part of the D-backs right now.

Team That Is Eager For the Calendar to Turn: Guardians
The Guardians went into August with a six-game lead in the AL Central, a three-game winning streak and the best record in baseball. They end the month fighting for their playoff lives. It all fell apart for the Guardians in August, as their offense cratered and their pitching struggled to keep up at the exact same time the Royals and Twins made their moves. The Guardians clawed their way back atop the division, but the idea that we’re even talking about that as we head into Labor Day is a sign of just how much of a disaster month August was for Cleveland. If September is like August, the bottom will fall out.

Play of the Month: Kevin Pillar goes airborne
Pillar is 35 years old, which, I have to say, is way too old to still be able to make a leap like this. Pillar was thought to be at the tail end of his career before his resurgence in Anaheim this year, and hanging around set him up to make what might the best play of his career (in a career that has had quite a few of them).

Best Single-Game Performance: Blake Snell’s no-hitter
People kept reminding Snell, much to his annoyance, that he had never thrown more than eight innings in a game heading into this year. He vowed he’d throw a complete game at some point. It just turned out that his first complete game would not just be a shutout; it would be a no-hitter.

“They can’t say it anymore,” said Snell, who actually got his first win as a Giant in the game. “Complete game, shutout, no-hitter. Leave me alone. 'He doesn't go into the 9th. He doesn't go into the 8th.' Just did it. Leave me alone.” We will now, we promise.

Wildest Game: Coors Chaos (Aug. 11)
There is nothing quite like a crazy Coors Field game. The Braves had built a nice little 8-2 lead, thanks to homers from Travis d’Arnaud, Jorge Soler and Austin Riley, and they headed into the bottom of the eighth feeling comfortable. But you should never, ever feel comfortable at Coors Field. Luke Jackson struck out Brendan Rodgers to start the inning, but then Michael Toglia singled and Jake Cave homered. 8-4. No big deal, right? Particularly after Jacob Stallings struck out. But then it all went haywire. Sam Hilliard singled. Aaron Schunk doubled. Joe Jiménez came in for Jackson, and then: Charlie Blackmon single. Ezequiel Tovar single. Ryan McMahon single. Then, down one, Rodgers came back and smashed a two-run double to give the Rockies a lead and send the Braves back to their hotel, muttering about that crazy Coors Field.

“The roof caved in,” Brian Snitker said.

Best Player to Make His MLB Debut: Adrian Del Castillo, Diamondbacks
No offense to Dylan Crews, but no player has meant more to his team upon being called up than the Diamondbacks catcher, who came up to replace the injured Gabriel Moreno but has become an Arizona legend already. He was the Pacific Coast League MVP last year, but no one saw this coming: A 1.011 OPS in his first 13 games, including a grand slam in a six-RBI game in front of friends and family in Miami. Special teams get contributions from people few could have seen coming. Del Castillo may be in the right place at the exact right time.

Player of the Game Winner: Jackson Merrill (6)
How could it be anyone else? As MLB.com's Sarah Langs pointed out, Merrill has six game-tying or go-ahead HR in the eighth inning or later this season, tied for most in a season at age 21 or younger since 1900, with Frank Robinson in 1956. And so much of that happened in August, for a Padres team that is surging behind their electrifying rookie, who is somehow storming up on Paul Skenes for NL Rookie of the Year honors. Heck, Merrill’s so fun you cheer for him even when he makes an out.

All-Star Squad:
C: Salvador Perez, Royals
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
2B: Luis García Jr., Nationals
SS: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
3B: José Ramírez, Guardians
OF: Aaron Judge, Yankees
OF: Jackson Merrill, Padres
OF: Juan Soto, Yankees
DH: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
UTIL: Francisco Lindor, Mets

SP: Blake Snell, Giants
SP: Tarik Skubal, Tigers
SP: Zack Wheeler, Phillies
SP: Chris Sale, Braves
SP: Bowden Francis, Blue Jays
RP: Josh Hader, Astros
RP: Raisel Iglesias, Braves