Sixteen teams are still in contention with 24 days remaining in the regular season. Let’s pause for a moment to consider that number: 16 teams playing meaningful games in September. This is precisely what Major League Baseball hoped for when it added a second Wild Card team in each league in 2012.

First, the additional Wild Card would keep more teams in contention longer. In other words, it was for scenarios like the one we’re seeing now.

Second, it would make winning the division a higher priority than it had been in the past. No team would want six months of hard work to come down to one winner-take-all game.

Third, two Wild Card Games would allow MLB to capture some of the drama of the final day of the 2011 regular season when the Rays and Cardinals edged the Red Sox and Braves, respectively, for the final two berths in the final minutes of Game 162.

So while some teams are long shots, they’ve still got hope. As former Giants outfielder Hunter Pence said before a 2014 Giants-Pirates Wild Card Game, “We’re in this game because we weren’t good enough to win our division. But the Wild Card Game gives us a chance to keep going, and if you’re a competitor, that’s all you can ask for.”

Twenty-eight days later, the Giants beat the Royals in Game 7 of the World Series, which is a nice reminder for all 16 teams still in the mix, even those barely in the mix.

Here are the weekend’s highlights.

Indians at Twins

The Indians begin the weekend 6 1/2 games behind the Twins as the American League Central front-runners play each other six times over the next 10 days. Cleveland has little margin for error in the division race, but is also in the middle of a fight for two AL Wild Card berths with the A’s, Rays and possibly even the Red Sox.

Nationals at Braves

This series began Thursday, with the Braves winning, 4-2. The Braves are playing their best baseball in the past month, having gone 21-6 to stretch their National League East lead to a season-high eight games. The Nationals may very well have their season defined by the next two weeks, when they play seven games against the Braves and three apiece against the Cardinals and Twins. Washington is 59-30 since a 19-31 start.

Cubs at Brewers

This series began Thursday, with the Cubs winning, 10-5. The Brewers are going to need another furious closing stretch for a second straight postseason appearance. They were pushed to the brink last season, but finished 23-7 and then won a Game 163 against the Cubs for the NL Central title. The Cubs are well positioned to secure an NL Wild Card berth, but are hoping to keep the first-place Cardinals within shouting distance before they play seven times in the final two weeks of the regular season.

Yankees at Red Sox

This might just be the best kind of Yankees-Red Sox series. While the Yankees are closing in on a division championship, the Red Sox have been pushed right to the edge of contention. In other words, this is a perfect time to do something extraordinary.

Phillies at Mets

Despite everything, both these teams are still in contention. This series could be realistic last gasp for the Mets, but that’s been the case for most of this season. The Phillies can still make something out of this disappointing season; they play their next 19 games against the Mets, Braves, Red Sox, Indians and Nationals. That’s the definition of an opportunity.

Giants at Dodgers

Sure, it still matters. The Dodgers have some bullpen issues to get straightened out before the postseason begins, while the Giants would love to send manager Bruce Bochy into retirement with a nice finishing kick. And the Dodgers are still in the mix to clinch home-field advantage through the World Series, so every game still matters to them.