The 2026 MLB postseason is right around the corner. And with less than a week left in the regular season, every team with World Series aspirations still has a lot left to play for.
Let’s break down the MLB standings and the playoff picture as it looks ahead of games on Sept. 22. (This post will be updated every day until the end of the regular season.)
The MLB postseason begins on Sept. 29.
(Bruno Rouby/Yahoo Sports)
Current playoff bracket
The Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in each league go to the division winners with the two best records. Those teams earn a bye through the wild-card round and hosting rights in the division series. Currently, the Rays, Guardians, Brewers and Dodgers are in line to claim those seeds.
The No. 3 seeds go to the third division winners — right now that’s the Rangers and Braves — and those teams will host three-game wild-card series against the No. 6 seeds (which go to the third wild cards). The top wild-card teams in each league — currently the Yankees and Cubs — earn the No. 4 seeds and will host the No. 5 seeds (the second wild cards) in the wild-card round.
The higher seed also gets home-field advantage in the championship series, once we get that far.
American League
|
Seed |
Team |
Record |
|
1 |
Tampa Bay Rays |
95-60 |
|
2 |
Cleveland Guardians |
81-75 |
|
3 |
Texas Rangers |
78-78 |
|
4 |
New York Yankees |
89-66 |
|
5 |
Boston Red Sox |
84-72 |
|
6 |
Chicago White Sox |
80-76 |
|
AL Wild Card (best-of-3, Sept. 29-Oct. 1) |
||
|
No. 6 Chicago White Sox |
at |
No. 3 Texas Rangers |
|
No. 5 Boston Red Sox |
at |
No. 4 New York Yankees |
|
ALDS (best-of-5, begins Oct. 3) |
||
|
Winner of 3 vs. 6 |
at |
No. 2 Cleveland Guardians |
|
Winner of 4 vs. 5 |
at |
No. 1 Tampa Bay Rays |
National League
|
Seed |
Team |
Record |
|
1 |
Milwaukee Brewers |
98-58 |
|
2 |
Los Angeles Dodgers |
96-60 |
|
3 |
Atlanta Braves |
92-64 |
|
4 |
Chicago Cubs |
87-69 |
|
5 |
San Diego Padres |
87-69 |
|
6 |
Philadelphia Phillies |
86-70 |
|
NL Wild Card (best-of-3, Sept. 29-Oct. 1) |
||
|
No. 6 Philadelphia Phillies |
at |
No. 3 Atlanta Braves |
|
No. 5 San Diego Padres |
at |
No. 4 Chicago Cubs |
|
NLDS (best-of-5, begins Oct. 3) |
||
|
Winner of 3 vs. 6 |
at |
No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers |
|
Winner of 4 vs. 5 |
at |
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers |
Who can clinch on Tuesday?
The Brewers can clinch the NL’s No. 2 seed and a first-round bye with a win over the Phillies or a Braves loss to the Reds.
The Cubs can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Marlins or a Diamondbacks loss to the Rockies.
The Padres can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Dodgers and a Diamondbacks loss to the Rockies.
The Rays can clinch the AL East and the No. 1 seed with a win over the Yankees.
Current playoff seeding
American League
1. Tampa Bay Rays (AL East leader)
Clinched playoff berth
Record: 95-60 (.613)
Magic number: 2 for AL East and No. 1 seed
Tiebreakers to be decided: Yankees
Remaining schedule: 7 left: @ NYY (4), @ PHI (3)
2. Cleveland Guardians (AL Central leader)
Record: 81-75 (.519)
Magic number: 3 for playoff berth; 6 for AL Central
Tiebreakers won: Orioles
Tiebreakers lost: White Sox, Rangers, Blue Jays, Astros
Tiebreakers to be decided: Red Sox
Remaining schedule: 6 left: @ BOS (3), @ KC (3)
3. Texas Rangers (AL West leader)
Record: 78-78 (.500)
Magic number: 6 for playoff berth; 6 for AL West
Tiebreakers won: Guardians, Blue Jays, Orioles
Tiebreakers lost: White Sox, Astros
Remaining schedule: 6 left: vs. NYM (3), @ MIN (3)
4. New York Yankees (top AL wild card)
Clinched playoff berth
Record: 89-66 (.574)
Magic number: 1 for top AL wild card
Tiebreakers won: Red Sox
Tiebreaker still to be decided: Rays
Remaining schedule: 7 left: vs. TB (4), vs. BAL (3)
5. Boston Red Sox (second AL wild card)
Clinched playoff berth
Record: 84-72 (.538)
Magic number: 3 for second AL wild card
Tiebreakers won: White Sox
Tiebreakers lost: Yankees
Tiebreaker still to be decided: Guardians
Remaining schedule: 6 left: vs. CLE (3), vs. CHC (3)
6. Chicago White Sox (third AL wild card)
Record: 80-76 (.513)
Magic number: 4 for playoff berth
Tiebreakers won: Guardians, Rangers, Blue Jays
Tiebreakers lost: Red Sox, Astros, Orioles
Remaining schedule: 6 left: @ KC (3), vs. COL (3)
Still in the hunt
Houston Astros
Record: 77-79 (.494)
Tiebreakers won: Guardians, White Sox, Rangers
Tiebreakers lost: Orioles
Remaining schedule: 6 left: @ SEA (2), @ ATH (4)
Toronto Blue Jays
Record: 77-80 (.490)
Tiebreakers won: Guardians
Tiebreakers lost: Rangers, White Sox
Tiebreaker still to be decided: Orioles
Remaining schedule: 6 left: @ BAL (3), vs. CIN (3)
Baltimore Orioles
Record: 76-81 (.484)
Tiebreakers won: White Sox, Astros
Tiebreakers lost: Guardians, Rangers
Tiebreaker still to be decided: Blue Jays
Remaining schedule: 6 left: vs. TOR (3), @ NYY (3)
National League
1. Milwaukee Brewers (NL Central champion)
Clinched NL Central
Record: 98-58 (.628)
Magic number: 4 for No. 1 seed; 1 for No. 2 seed
Tiebreakers won: Dodgers
Remaining schedule: 6 left: @ PHI (3), vs. STL (3)
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West champion)
Clinched NL West
Record: 96-60 (.615)
Magic number: 3 for No. 2 seed
Tiebreakers lost: Brewers, Braves
Remaining schedule: 6 left: vs. SD (3), @ SF (3)
3. Atlanta Braves (NL East champion)
Clinched NL East
Record: 92-64 (.590)
Tiebreakers won: Dodgers, Phillies
Tiebreakers lost: Padres
Remaining schedule: 6 left: vs. CIN (3), @ MIA (3)
4. Chicago Cubs (top NL wild card)
Record: 87-69 (.558)
Magic number: 1 for playoff berth; 5 for second wild card; 6 for first wild card
Tiebreakers won: Padres, Phillies, Diamondbacks
Remaining schedule: 6 left: vs. MIA (3), @ BOS (3)
5. San Diego Padres (second NL wild card)
Record: 87-69 (.558)
Magic number: 2 for playoff berth; 6 for second wild card
Tiebreakers won: Braves
Tiebreakers lost: Cubs, Phillies
Remaining schedule: 6 left: @ LAD (3), vs. AZ (3)
6. Philadelphia Phillies (third NL wild card)
Record: 86-70 (.551)
Magic number: 3 for playoff berth
Tiebreakers won: Padres
Tiebreakers lost: Braves, Cubs
Remaining schedule: 6 left: vs. MIL (3), vs. TB (3)
Still in the hunt
Arizona Diamondbacks
Record: 82-74 (.526)
Tiebreakers lost: Cubs
Tiebreaker to be decided: Padres
Remaining schedule: 6 left: @ COL (3), @ SD (3)
Eliminated teams
American League
National League
What’s the schedule for the postseason?
Wild-card series
Game 1: Tuesday, Sept. 29
Game 2: Wednesday, Sept. 30
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 1*
Division series
NLDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 3
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 4
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 6
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 7*
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 9*
ALDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 3
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 5
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 7
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 8*
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 10* (*if necessary)
Championship series
NLCS
Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 11
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 12
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 14
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 15
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 16*
Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 18*
Game 7: Monday, Oct. 19*
ALCS
Game 1: Monday, Oct. 12
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 13
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 15
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 16
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 17*
Game 6: Monday, Oct. 19*
Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 20* (*if necessary)
World Series
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 23
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 24
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 26
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 27
Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 28*
Game 6: Friday, Oct. 30*
Game 7: Saturday, Oct. 31* (*if necessary)
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