The MLB postseason is right around the corner. And with three weeks 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 they look ahead of games on Sept. 8.
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Who has clinched a spot in the playoffs?
As of Monday, no team has clinched a postseason berth, though the same 12 teams have been in playoff position since July 11.
Who can clinch next?
The Brewers are in line to be the first MLB team to clinch a postseason spot, with a magic number of three. The Tigers and Blue Jays are in a race to be first in the American League, with magic numbers of 11.
On the NL side, the Brewers, Phillies, Dodgers and Cubs all have playoff odds above 99%, according to FanGraphs. The Brewers, Phillies and Dodgers are in position to win their divisions, while the Cubs currently hold the top wild card. Also in wild-card position are the Padres (97.9% playoff odds) and Mets (93.4%).
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In the AL, the Tigers, Blue Jays and Yankees all have playoff odds of 99% or better. Also in playoff position are the Red Sox (95.9%), Astros (89.1%) and Mariners (79.6%). The Tigers, Blue Jays and Astros currently lead their divisions, with the Yankees, Red Sox and Mariners making up the wild-card field.
But someone could still shake up the AL wild-card picture, as the Rangers, Royals and Guardians are all within three games of the Mariners for the final spot.
Which of these MLB stars will lead his team to a World Series title this fall? (Davis Long/Yahoo Sports)
What’s still up for grabs?
Once a team clinches its ticket to the postseason, there’s still a lot to play for. Beyond division leads and wild cards, teams could be battling for playoff positioning until the final weekend of the season.
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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 Brewers, Phillies, Tigers and Blue Jays are in line to claim those byes.
The No. 3 seed goes to the third division winner, and that team will host the three-game wild-card series against the No. 6 seed (which goes to the third wild card). The top wild-card team will earn the No. 4 seed and host the No. 5 seed (the second wild card) in the wild-card round.
The higher seed also gets home-field advantage in the championship series, once we get that far.