MLB playoff race update with six games remaining

A look at where the MLB playoff races stand entering play on Tuesday with just six games remaining in the 2024 regular season:

American League teams in position for first-round playoff byes:
No. 1 New York Yankees (92-64, AL East leader)
No. 2 Cleveland Guardians (90-67, AL Central champion)

American League wild-card matchups, at the moment:
No. 6 Detroit Tigers (82-74, third AL wild card) at No. 3 Houston Astros (85-72, AL West leader)
No. 5 Kansas City Royals (82-74, second AL wild card) at No. 4 Baltimore Orioles (86-70, first AL wild card)

National League teams in position for first-round playoff byes:
No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers (93-63, NL West leader)
No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies (93-64, NL East champion)

National League wild-card matchups, at the moment:
No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks (87-70, third NL wild card) at No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers (89-67, NL Central champion)
No. 5 New York Mets (87-69, second NL wild card) at No. 4 San Diego Padres (90-66, first NL wild card)

DIVISION-BY-DIVISION BREAKDOWN
AL EAST
New York Yankees (92-64). Clinched playoff spot. Can clinch No. 1 seed and wild-card-round bye with one win over the visiting Orioles in a three-game series that starts Tuesday.

Baltimore Orioles (86-70). Six games behind New York in the division. Can clinch a playoff spot on Tuesday with a win over the Yankees plus a loss by either the Royals (at the Washington Nationals) or the Minnesota Twins (vs. the Miami Marlins).

AL CENTRAL
Cleveland Guardians (90-67). Clinched division title. Begin a two-game series vs. the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.

Kansas City Royals (82-74). Tied with the Tigers for the second and third wild-card spots (Kansas City owns the tiebreaker), both teams one game ahead of the Twins. Open a three-game road series against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.

Detroit Tigers (82-74). Tied with the Royals for the second and third wild-card spots (Kansas City owns the tiebreaker), both teams one game ahead of the Twins. Open a three-game series vs. the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.

Minnesota Twins (81-75). One game behind the Royals and Tigers, who hold the final two AL playoff spots. Open a three-game series vs. the Miami Marlins on Tuesday.

AL WEST
Houston Astros (85-72). Four games ahead of second-place Seattle after the Mariners won 6-1 in the opener of a three-game series at Houston on Monday. They would clinch the division with one win in the series.

Seattle Mariners (81-76). Four games behind the first-place Astros after winning 6-1 in the opener of a three-game series at Houston on Monday. Also 1 1/2 games behind the Royals and Tigers for the final two wild-card spots.

NL EAST
Philadelphia Phillies (93-64). Clinched the division title with a 6-2 win over the visiting Chicago Cubs on Monday in the opener of a three-game series. Would clinch a first-round bye with two more wins this week.

New York Mets (87-69). Lead the Diamondbacks by a half-game for the second wild card, with the Braves two games behind New York. Open a three-game series at Atlanta on Tuesday.

Atlanta Braves (85-71). Trail the Diamondbacks by 1 1/2 games for the third wild card. Open a three-game series vs. the Mets on Tuesday.

NL CENTRAL
Milwaukee Brewers (89-67). Clinched division title. Trail the Phillies by 3 1/2 games for the second first-round bye. Open a three-game road series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.

NL WEST
Los Angeles Dodgers (93-63). Clinched playoff berth. Lead the Padres by three games in the division entering a three-game series at San Diego that begins on Tuesday.

San Diego Padres (90-66). Lead the Mets by three games for the top wild card. Trail the Dodgers by three games in the division entering a three-game series vs. Los Angeles that begins on Tuesday.

Arizona Diamondbacks (87-70) Trail the Mets by a half-game for the second wild card, with the Braves 1 1/2 games behind Arizona for the third wild card. Lost 6-3 to the visiting San Francisco Giants on Monday in the opener of a three-game series.

–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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