There isn’t anything better than postseason baseball. But the regular season’s final day will still have some drama as four teams – two in each league – fight for the remaining playoff spots. Will the Astros or Rangers claim the AL West crown? And can the Phillies avoid a late-season collapse and hold off the Diamondbacks for the third and final NL wild-card spot?
Here is where things stand as we get ready for October baseball and the World Series. Standings are as of Sept. 27, the final day of the regular season.
JUMP TO:
Current Bracket | Clinching Scenarios
AL: East | Central | West | Wild Card
NL: East | Central | West | Wild Card
What’s The Bracket As Of Now?
*- confirmed playoff teams
American League
Wild-card round (best of three):
(6) White Sox* at (3) Astros or Rangers
(5) Red Sox* at (4) Yankees*
AL Division Series (best of five):
White Sox*/Astros or Rangers vs. (2) Guardians*
Red Sox*/Yankees* vs. (1) Rays*
AL Championship Series (best of seven):
TBD vs. TBD
National League
Wild-card round (best of three):
(6) Phillies or Diamondbacks at (3) Braves*
(5) Padres* at (4) Cubs*
AL Division Series (best of five):
Phillies or Diamondbacks/Braves* vs. (2) Dodgers*
Padres*/Cubs* vs. (1) Brewers*
NL Championship Series (best of seven):
TBD vs. TBD
World Series (best of seven)
TBD vs. TBD
Sunday’s Clinching Scenarios: What’s At Stake?
1. The Astros can clinch the AL West with a win vs. the Athletics, OR a loss by the Rangers vs. the Twins. If that happens, the Astros will host the White Sox in the first round.
2. The Rangers can clinch the AL West with a win vs. the Twins, AND a loss by the Astros to the Athletics. If that happens, the Rangers will host the White Sox in the first round.
3. The Phillies can clinch the last remaining NL wild-card berth with a win vs. the Rays, OR a loss by the Diamondbacks vs. the Padres. If both the Phillies and Diamondbacks finish with the same record, the Diamondbacks advance due to the regular-season tiebreaker.
4. The Diamondbacks can clinch the last remaining NL wild-card berth with a win vs. Padres, AND a loss by the Phillies vs. the Rays. If both the Phillies and Diamondbacks finish with the same record, the Diamondbacks advance due to the regular-season tiebreaker.
AL East
The Tampa Bay Rays have clinched the division title, ahead of wild-card teams New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees will host the Red Sox in the first round, with the winner then facing the Rays in the ALDS. But the question in the Bronx is when Aaron Judge will be back to join the Yankees’ postseason push as he nurses a leg injury.
AL Central
The Cleveland Guardians win the division crown for the third straight season, overtaking the Chicago White Sox down the stretch. Cleveland also gets a wild-card series bye and home-field advantage for the ALDS. The White Sox settle for a wild-card spot and a first-round trip to the AL West winner, which is still a step forward after back-to-back 100-loss campaigns.
Two teams – the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers – are battling for the division crown. Only one of these teams will advance to the postseason and will host one of the wild-card series. The Astros have the season tiebreaker over the Rangers should both finish with equal records.
AL Wild Card
New York and Boston hold the top AL wild card spots, with the Yankees hosting the Red Sox in the first round. The White Sox claim the other wild-card spot and await the winner of the AL West for its first-round foe.
NL East
The first-place Atlanta Braves have punched their ticket to the postseason for the eighth time in nine years and have also captured the NL East. They’ll also host a wild-card series.
The Philadelphia Phillies have collapsed down the stretch and now face a must-win scenario on Sunday against the Rays to capture a wild-card spot.
NL Central
The Milwaukee Brewers wrapped up the NL Central division and have won 100 games in a season for the first time in franchise history. They have wrapped up a wild-card bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The Chicago Cubs have clinched a wild-card spot and visit the Padres in the first round.
NL West
The Dodgers have taken another step toward a third straight World Series title. They have wrapped up a 13th NL West title in the past 14 seasons. The defending two-time champions have now made the postseason in 14 straight seasons, tying Atlanta’s all-time record set from 1991-2005. The Dodgers will have a first-round bye and have home-field advantage in the NLDS.
San Diego has clinched a wild-card spot and will host the Cubs in the first round. The Diamondbacks have surged in the final weeks and must beat the Padres and hope the Phillies lose to the Rays.
NL Wild Card
Chicago and San Diego have wrapped up two of three spots, setting up a first-round clash. Philadelphia and Arizona remain in contention for the third and final spot. Should both the Phillies and the Diamondbacks finish with equal records, Arizona advances.
Teams that have been eliminated are the Marlins, Cardinals, Pirates, Rockies, Giants, Reds, Mets and Nationals.
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