MLB playoff race update: Clinch scenarios & more

A look at where the baseball playoff races stand entering play Thursday:

American League teams in position for first-round playoff byes:
No. 1 New York Yankees (92-66, AL East leader)
No. 2 Cleveland Guardians (92-67, AL Central champion)

American League wild-card matchups, at the moment:
No. 6 Detroit Tigers (84-74, third AL wild card) at No. 3 Houston Astros (86-73, AL West champ)
No. 5 Kansas City Royals (84-74, second AL wild card) at No. 4 Baltimore Orioles (88-70, first AL wild card)

National League teams in position for first-round playoff byes:
No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers (94-64, NL West leader)
No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies (94-65, NL East champion)

National League wild-card matchups, at the moment:
No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks (88-71, third NL wild card) at No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers (90-68, NL Central champion)
No. 5 New York Mets (87-70, second NL wild card) at No. 4 San Diego Padres (91-67, first NL wild card)

DIVISION-BY-DIVISION BREAKDOWN
AL EAST
New York Yankees (92-66). Clinched a playoff spot. Can clinch No. 1 seed and wild-card-round bye with a win over the visiting Orioles in the finale of a three-game series on Thursday.

Baltimore Orioles (88-70). Clinched a playoff spot. Four games behind New York in the division after beating the Yankees 9-7 on Wednesday, with both teams having four games to play. Four games up on the Royals and Tigers with a magic number of one to seal at least the top wild card.

AL CENTRAL
Cleveland Guardians (92-67). Clinched division title. Trail the Yankees by a half-game for the best record in the AL. Beat the visiting Cincinnati Reds 5-2 on Wednesday to sweep a two-game series.

Kansas City Royals (84-74). Tied with the Tigers for the second and third wild-card spots (Kansas City owns the tiebreaker). Both teams are two games ahead of the Minnesota Twins and 2 1/2 games up on the Seattle Mariners. Earned a 3-0 road win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, with one game left in the series.

Detroit Tigers (84-74). Tied with the Royals for the second and third wild-card spots (Kansas City owns the tiebreaker). Both teams are two games ahead of the Minnesota Twins and 2 1/2 games up on the Seattle Mariners. Posted a 7-1 home win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, with one game left in the series.

Minnesota Twins (82-76). Two games behind the Royals and Tigers, who hold the final two AL playoff spots, after beating the visiting Miami Marlins 8-3 on Wednesday in the middle game of a three-game series.

AL WEST
Houston Astros (86-73). Clinched division title and locked into the No. 3 seed in the AL playoffs. Fell 8-1 to the Mariners on Wednesday in the decisive game of a three-game series. After a day off on Thursday, close the regular season with three games at Cleveland.

Seattle Mariners (82-77). Trail the Royals and Tigers by 2 1/2 games for the final two wild-card spots after winning 8-1 in the finale of a three-game series at Houston on Wednesday. After a day off on Thursday, finish the regular season with a three-game set against the visiting Oakland A’s.

NL EAST
Philadelphia Phillies (94-65). Clinched the division title. Clinched a first-round bye on Wednesday after beating the visiting Chicago Cubs 9-6 on Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series. Trail the Dodgers by a half-game for the NL’s best record. Off Thursday before concluding with a three-game series at Washington.

New York Mets (87-70). Tied with the Diamondbacks for the second and third wild cards, with both teams one game up on the Diamondbacks. Rained out on Wednesday and Thursday at Atlanta, setting up a makeup doubleheader against the Braves on Monday. Start a three-game series at Milwaukee on Friday.

Atlanta Braves (86-71). One game behind the Mets and Diamondbacks, who hold the second and third wild-card positions. Rained out on Wednesday and Thursday against the Mets, setting up a makeup doubleheader in Atlanta on Monday. Open a three-game home series against Kansas City on Friday.

NL CENTRAL
Milwaukee Brewers (90-68). Clinched division title. Locked into the No. 3 NL seed after losing 2-1 to the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday in the middle game of a three-game series.

NL WEST
Los Angeles Dodgers (94-64). Clinched playoff berth. Lead the Padres by three games in the division after defeating San Diego 4-3 on Wednesday in the middle game of a three-game home series. Lead the Phillies by a half-game for the best record in the majors

San Diego Padres (91-67). Trail the Dodgers by three games in the division after a 4-3 road defeat against Los Angeles on Wednesday in the middle game of a three-game series. Lead the Mets and Diamondbacks by 3 1/2 games for the top wild card.

Arizona Diamondbacks (88-71). In a virtual tie with the Mets for the second and third wild cards, with the Braves one game behind. Both New York and Atlanta hold tiebreaker advantages over Arizona. Beat the visiting San Francisco Giants 8-2 on Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series. Off on Thursday before finishing with three games against the visiting Padres.

–Field Level Media

Upcoming 2025 MLB Playoff Race & Offseason Dates

Playoffs

• Sunday, September 29th – 2024  MLB regular season ends
• Tuesday, October 1st-Thursday, October 3rd – MLB Wild Card Series
• Saturday, October 5th-Saturday, October 12th – MLB Division Series
• Sunday, October 13th-Tuesday, October 22nd – MLB Championship Series
• Friday, October 25th-Saturday, November 2nd – 2024 MLB World Series

Offseason

• MLB free agency begins the day after the final World Series game
• Players can sign contracts with new teams five days after the final World Series game
• December 8-11th – MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas, TX
• February TBD – Pitchers & catchers report for Spring Training

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