NL roundup: Charting who's most likely to make and miss the playoffs

With a month left in the season, here's a look at what's going on with National League contenders. Atlanta: The Braves aren't out of the division race yet, but their best chance to make the playoffs is the Wild Card route. They know how to beat the Nationals, but they are not consistent enough against the rest of the league to win the NL East. Seven- and eight-game losing streaks have hurt them. The biggest problem is struggling to average four runs a game. Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, Justin Upton and Evan Gattis need help in the order. They have six games left versus the Nats. Los Angeles: With Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke leading the rotation, no one wants to play the Dodgers in October. But after those two, the Dodgers rotation is hurting. Hyun-Jin Ryu returns from the disabled list Monday against the Nationals, but Kevin Correia, Roberto Hernandez and Dan Haren in the back of the rotation? Where would the Dodgers be without Adrian Gonzalez and Dee Gordon, both of whom should get NL MVP votes? Milwaukee: The Brewers are showing that they are no fluke. The offense sputtered around the break, but they are scoring plenty of runs, even though Ryan Braun is posting career-lows in virtually every offensive statistic. Matt Garza has been on the disabled list since Aug. 3 with a ribcage injury, and when he returns, the Brewers' first four is impressive: Yovani Gallardo, Garza, Kyle Lohse and Wily Peralta. Carlos Gomez and Jonathan Lucroy are going to get NL MVP votes. Pittsburgh: The Pirates rotation is stronger with the return of Jeff Locke and Gerrit Cole, two of their best pitching prospects that came up big in their postseason run a year ago. Who would have thought that Vance Worley, who bombed in Minnesota after a trade from Philadelphia, would be a key for the Pirates? Everything revolves around 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen, and he's playing with a rib injury. San Francisco: Hard to believe the Giants once led the NL West by 9 1/2 games. Given all their problems, it is difficult to imagine how they are in the race. They've fallen apart because of injuries, bullpen issues, a weak rotation and an offense that can't score. Matt Cain is gone with injury. Tim Hudson is getting old and Tim Lincecum, who was one of the NL's best in June, has been sent to the bullpen. St. Louis: The Cardinals have an overworked bullpen and a lineup that shows spurts of run production, but then slows down, a theme that defines this season. Closer Trevor Rosenthal isn't as reliable as he has been in the past and the Cardinals are concerned about the wear on pitcher Adam Wainwright's shoulder. His ERA is approaching 5.00 after the break. Washington: The Nationals have the deepest rotation, the most versatile offense and the tightest defense, but there are questions: When will Ryan Zimmerman return and what will the Nats do with Asdrubal Cabrera when he does? Cabrera at second and Anthony Rendon at third is their best defensive team. Can the Nats go deep into the postseason with command guy Rafael Soriano as the closer? How will the postseason rotation line up? Should Stephen Strasburg pitch on the road or at home?