The problem with the Ms is that the core is old. The vast majority of the production comes from Cano, Cruz, Seager. None of them can fall off. None of them can get injured. None of them can have down seasons.
The team will stay relevant as long as ALL three are still chugging along, but you are playing with fire on a year to year basis IMO. Its already happening with Felix and Iwakuma. If either player was still in their primes we'd be a playoff team right now. Now that both have declined that window is just getting narrower.
This team CAN contend, but they probably should be rebuilding. I look at this roster and I don't see how you stretch it much beyond 2017. In my mind we have 1+ year left to really go for it and even then it feels a bit desperate. This is more of a fringe contender than a strong one.
We really need a strong offseason to get back into it.