The MLB postseason is right around the corner. And with less than two weeks left in the regular season, every team with World Series aspirations still has a lot to play for.
Let’s break down the state of the MLB standings and the playoff picture as it looks today.
Who has clinched a spot in the playoffs?
The Brewers clinched the NL Central title on Wednesday but have not yet clinched their playoff seed. The Chicago Cubs’ 5-3 defeat to the Oakland A’s secured the division for the Brewers.
Also Wednesday, the Yankees clinched the AL’s first postseason spot with their 2-1 victory over the Mariners in extra innings. The Yankees have not yet secured the AL East division title or their postseason seed.
On Thursday, the Guardians clinched their ticket to October with 3-2 walk-off victory against the Twins in the 10th inning. They have not yet secured the AL Central title or their postseason seed.
Also Thursday, the Dodgers clinched their 12th straight postseason appearance with a 20-4 (yes, 20-4) victory over the Marlins. Ohtani delivered an absolutely historic performance to seal the first 50-50 season in MLB history. The Dodgers have not yet secured the NL West division title or their postseason seed.
This embedded content is not available in your region.
Subscribe to Baseball Bar-B-Cast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
Who can clinch next?
The Phillies and Orioles each have at least a 99% chance of reaching the postseason, according to FanGraphs. The Astros, Royals and Padres are above 89%. The Diamondbacks, Twins and Mets have the postseason in sight but still have a ways to go to get there.
After statistically securing their postseason spots, the Phillies, Dodgers, Guardians, Astros and Yankees are positioned to win their divisions, assuming their current leads hold. The Phillies, Dodgers, Yankees and Guardians are in line to earn byes through the wild-card round.
What’s still up for grabs?
Once a team clinches its ticket to the postseason, there’s still a lot to play for. Most of the division leads are comfortable, but teams could be battling for playoff positioning until the final weekend of the season.
The Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in each league will 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.
The No. 3 seed will go to the third division winner, and that team will host a three-game wild-card series against the No. 6 seed (which will go…