The MLB Postseason: A Thrilling Race to October
As the MLB postseason approaches, excitement is palpable across the league. With less than a week remaining in the regular season, teams are vying for playoff spots and positioning, making every game crucial. 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 starting to take shape, with several teams already securing their spots:
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Baltimore Orioles: Clinched an AL playoff berth with a 5-3 victory over the Yankees. However, their postseason seed remains undecided.
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Houston Astros: Secured their postseason ticket and the AL West title with a nail-biting 4-3 win against the Mariners. Like the Orioles, their exact seed is still up for grabs.
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San Diego Padres: Clinched their spot in the NL postseason bracket after a 4-1 victory over the Dodgers, which ended dramatically with a triple play. Their postseason seed is still to be determined.
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Philadelphia Phillies: Made their third consecutive playoff appearance official with a commanding 12-2 win over the Mets. They also clinched the NL East title with a 6-2 victory over the Cubs, positioning themselves for a potential battle with the Dodgers for the NL’s top seed.
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Cleveland Guardians: Secured their postseason ticket with a thrilling 3-2 walk-off victory against the Twins. They clinched the AL Central title and are set to host an ALDS, with a top seed in the American League still within reach.
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Los Angeles Dodgers: With a staggering 20-4 victory over the Marlins, the Dodgers clinched their 12th straight postseason appearance. They are still in contention for the NL West title and their postseason seed.
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Milwaukee Brewers: Clinched the NL Central title on September 18, thanks to a Cubs’ loss, but their playoff seed remains undecided.
- New York Yankees: Clinched the AL’s first postseason spot on September 18 with a 2-1 victory over the Mariners in extra innings. They are still in the hunt for the AL East title.
Who Can Clinch Next?
Several teams are on the cusp of clinching their postseason spots. The Royals, Tigers, Mets, and Diamondbacks all have playoff odds above 60%, according to FanGraphs, but they still face challenges ahead. Meanwhile, the Twins, Mariners, and Braves remain in the wild-card hunt.
The Dodgers and Yankees are well-positioned to win their respective divisions, assuming they maintain their current leads. The Phillies, Dodgers, and Yankees are also in line to earn byes through the wild-card round, which could be crucial as the postseason unfolds.
What’s Still Up for Grabs?
Even for teams that have clinched their playoff spots, there’s still plenty at stake. Most division leads are relatively comfortable, but playoff positioning could shift dramatically in the final days of the regular season.
The top two seeds in each league will go to the division winners with the best records, granting them a bye through the wild-card round and home-field advantage in the division series. The third division winner will host a three-game wild-card series against the sixth seed, while the top wild-card team will face the fifth seed.
What Would the Playoff Bracket Look Like If the Season Ended Today?
If the season were to end today, 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 ties, MLB has moved away from the traditional Game 163 format. Instead, tiebreakers are determined first by head-to-head records, followed by intradivision records if necessary. Here’s a quick look at some key 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 the tiebreaker against the Dodgers.
- 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.
What’s the Schedule for the Wild-Card and Division Series?
As the postseason approaches, here’s a look at the key dates 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* (if necessary)
Division Series
ALDS
- Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5
- Game 2: Monday, Oct. 7
- Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 9
- Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 10* (if necessary)
- Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 12* (if necessary)
NLDS
- Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5
- Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 6
- Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 8
- Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 9* (if necessary)
- Game 5: Friday, Oct. 11* (if necessary)
With the postseason just around the corner, fans are gearing up for what promises to be an exhilarating October filled with drama, excitement, and unforgettable moments. The hunt for the 2024 postseason is on, and every game counts as teams strive for glory on baseball’s biggest stage.