The MLB Postseason: A Thrilling Race to October
As the MLB postseason approaches, excitement is palpable across the league. With less than a week left in the regular season, teams are scrambling to secure their spots and improve their playoff positioning. The stakes are high, and every game counts as franchises with World Series aspirations fight for their chance at glory.
Current Playoff Picture
Who Has Clinched a Spot in the Playoffs?
The postseason picture is starting to take shape, with several teams already securing their spots. On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Phillies clinched at least a No. 2 seed in the National League playoffs after a thrilling 9-6 victory over the Chicago Cubs, coupled with the Milwaukee Brewers’ 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. As the NL East champions, the Phillies will enjoy a bye in the wild-card round, eagerly awaiting their opponent in the NL Division Series (NLDS). They are currently in a tight race with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL’s top seed.
In the American League, the Baltimore Orioles punched their ticket to the playoffs on Tuesday with a 5-3 win over the New York Yankees. This victory, combined with the Minnesota Twins’ 4-1 loss to the Miami Marlins, ensured the Orioles a postseason berth. However, they are still vying for the AL East title, trailing the Yankees by four games with just four games left in the regular season.
The Houston Astros also secured their postseason spot on Tuesday, clinching their fourth consecutive AL West title with a nail-biting 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres solidified their place in the NL postseason with a dramatic 4-2 win over the Dodgers, which ended in a triple play—a fittingly exciting moment for a team eager to make a deep playoff run.
On Thursday, the Cleveland Guardians clinched their postseason ticket with a 3-2 walk-off victory against the Twins. Having already secured the AL Central title, they are now in contention for the top seeds in the American League, ensuring they will host an ALDS matchup.
The Dodgers, too, continued their impressive run by clinching their 12th consecutive postseason appearance with a staggering 20-4 victory over the Marlins. This game featured a historic performance from Shohei Ohtani, marking the first 50-50 season in MLB history. However, the Dodgers have yet to secure the NL West title or their exact postseason seed.
Who Can Clinch Next?
Several teams are on the brink of clinching their postseason berths. The Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets all have playoff odds exceeding 70%, according to FanGraphs. The Arizona Diamondbacks are also in the mix, boasting over a 50% chance, but they still have work to do to ensure their October participation. The Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners, and Atlanta Braves remain in contention for wild-card spots, keeping the competition fierce as the regular season winds down.
The Dodgers and Yankees are well-positioned to win their respective divisions, assuming their current leads hold. The Phillies, Dodgers, and Yankees are also in line to earn byes through the wild-card round, which could prove crucial in their quest for the championship.
What’s Still Up for Grabs?
Even for teams that have clinched their playoff spots, there remains much to play for. While many division leads are comfortable, the final weekend of the season could see significant shifts in playoff positioning. 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 No. 3 seed will go to the third division winner, who will host a three-game wild-card series against the No. 6 seed. The top wild-card team will earn the No. 4 seed and host the No. 5 seed in the wild-card round. This structure means that every game can impact not just who makes the playoffs, but how they are seeded and where they will play.
What Would the Playoff Bracket Look Like If the Season Ended Today?
If the season were to end today, the playoff bracket would feature some exciting matchups. In the American League, the wild-card series would see the No. 6 Detroit Tigers face off against the No. 3 Houston Astros, while the No. 5 Kansas City Royals would take on the No. 4 Baltimore Orioles. The winners of these matchups would then advance to face the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees, respectively, in the ALDS.
In the National League, the No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks would square off against the No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers, with the winner moving on to face the No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies. The No. 5 New York Mets would battle the No. 4 San Diego Padres, with the victor advancing to take on the top-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers.
What Are the Tiebreakers?
With the potential for ties in standings, MLB has established a clear tiebreaker system. No longer do teams play a Game 163; instead, tiebreakers are determined by head-to-head records first, followed by intradivision records if necessary. For instance, the Yankees have clinched the tiebreaker against the Guardians, while the Guardians have done the same against the Orioles. The Phillies have secured tiebreakers against both the Dodgers and Brewers, adding another layer of strategy as teams jockey for position.
What’s the Schedule for the Wild-Card and Division Series?
As the postseason approaches, fans are eager to mark their calendars. The wild-card series is set to begin on Tuesday, October 1, with Game 1, followed by Game 2 on Wednesday, October 2, and, if necessary, Game 3 on Thursday, October 3. The division series will kick off shortly after, with the ALDS starting on Saturday, October 5, and the NLDS following suit.
With the postseason just around the corner, the excitement is building. Teams are not only fighting for a chance at the World Series but also for the pride and glory that comes with October baseball. As the regular season draws to a close, every pitch, every hit, and every out will matter more than ever. The hunt for the 2024 postseason is on, and fans are ready for the thrilling ride ahead.