The MLB Postseason: A Thrilling Race to October
As the MLB postseason approaches, excitement is palpable among fans and players alike. With less than a week remaining in the regular season, teams are scrambling to secure their spots in the playoffs, each with their eyes set on the coveted World Series trophy. Let’s dive into the current state of the MLB standings and playoff picture as we gear up for October.
Who Has Clinched a Spot in the Playoffs?
The postseason picture is beginning to take shape, with several teams already securing their spots.
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Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies clinched at least the No. 2 seed in the National League playoffs following their recent victory over the Chicago Cubs. This win, combined with the Milwaukee Brewers’ defeat of the Pittsburgh Pirates, ensures that the NL East champions will bypass the wild-card round and host an NL Division Series (NLDS). They are currently in a tight race with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the top seed in the NL.
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Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles punched their ticket to the playoffs with a 5-3 win over the New York Yankees. Although they have secured a playoff berth, they are still in contention for the AL East title, trailing the Yankees by four games with just a few games left in the regular season.
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Houston Astros: The Astros clinched their postseason spot and their fourth consecutive AL West title after defeating the Seattle Mariners. However, they are still vying for their exact playoff seed.
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San Diego Padres: The Padres secured their postseason berth with a dramatic 4-2 victory over the Dodgers, which ended in a triple play. They are currently three games behind the Dodgers in the NL West and are still working to finalize their playoff positioning.
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Cleveland Guardians: The Guardians clinched their postseason spot with a walk-off victory against the Minnesota Twins and later secured the AL Central title. They will host an ALDS, having locked in at least the No. 2 seed in the American League.
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Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers have made their 12th consecutive postseason appearance, thanks in part to a historic performance by Shohei Ohtani. They are in a position to clinch the NL West title with a win in their upcoming game against the Padres.
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Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers clinched the NL Central title on September 18, but they have yet to finalize their playoff seed.
- New York Yankees: The Yankees were the first team to clinch a postseason spot in the AL, but they still need to secure the AL East title. A win over the Orioles could seal the division for them.
Who Can Clinch Next?
Several teams are on the brink of clinching their postseason spots. The Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets all have playoff odds exceeding 70%, according to FanGraphs. The Arizona Diamondbacks are above 50% but still have work to do. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves remain in the hunt for wild-card berths.
The Dodgers and Yankees are well-positioned to win their respective divisions, assuming their current leads hold, which would also grant them byes through the wild-card round.
What’s Still Up for Grabs?
Even after clinching a playoff spot, teams have much to play for. The top two seeds in each league will go to the division winners with the best records, allowing them to bypass the wild-card round and host a division series. The third division winner will host a wild-card series against the sixth seed, while the top wild-card team will face the fifth seed.
Home-field advantage in the championship series is also determined by seeding, making every game count as the regular season winds down.
What Would the Playoff Bracket Look Like If the Season Ended Today?
As of now, the playoff bracket would shape up as follows:
American League
- Wild Card: No. 6 Detroit Tigers vs. No. 3 Houston Astros*
- ALDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 2 Cleveland Guardians*
- Wild Card: No. 5 Kansas City Royals vs. No. 4 Baltimore Orioles*
- ALDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 1 New York Yankees*
National League
- Wild Card: No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks vs. No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers*
- NLDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies*
- Wild Card: No. 5 New York Mets vs. No. 4 San Diego Padres*
- NLDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers*
(*Clinched playoff spot)
What Are the Tiebreakers?
In the event of a tie, MLB has eliminated the need for a Game 163. Instead, tiebreakers are determined by head-to-head records, followed by intradivision records if necessary. Here’s a quick look at some of the tiebreakers that could come into play:
- The Yankees have clinched the tiebreaker against the Guardians.
- The Guardians have clinched the tiebreaker against the Orioles.
- The Phillies have clinched tiebreakers against the Dodgers and Brewers.
- The Twins have clinched tiebreakers against the Tigers and Royals.
- The Royals have clinched the tiebreaker against the Tigers.
- The Mets have clinched tiebreakers against the Padres and Diamondbacks.
- The Braves have clinched the tiebreaker against the Diamondbacks.
What’s the Schedule for the Wild-Card and Division Series?
As the postseason approaches, here’s a look at the schedule for the wild-card and division series:
Wild-Card Series
- Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 1
- Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 2
- Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 3*
Division Series
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ALDS
- Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5
- Game 2: Monday, Oct. 7
- Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 9
- Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 10*
- Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 12*
- NLDS
- Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5
- Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 6
- Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 8
- Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 9*
- Game 5: Friday, Oct. 11*
(*If necessary)
With the postseason just around the corner, every game counts, and the drama is only set to intensify. Fans can expect thrilling matchups and unforgettable moments as teams battle for their chance at glory in the 2024 MLB postseason.