All 30 MLB teams will be partaking in Game 162 on Sept. 28. There are still big playoff implications on the line during the final day of regular season baseball, both when it comes to division titles and Wild Card spots. So, what are the clinching scenarios and tiebreakers going into the last day of the season?
American League standings
1. Toronto Blue Jays, 93-68 – clinched playoff birth
2. Seattle Mariners, 90-71 – clinched American League West
3. Cleveland Guardians, 87-74 – clinched playoff birth
4. New York Yankees, 93-68 – clinched playoff birth
5. Boston Red Sox, 88-73 – clinched Wild Card
6. Detroit Tigers, 87-74 – clinched playoff birth
7. Houston Astros, 86-75 – eliminated
8. Kansas City Royals, 81-80 – eliminated
9. Texas Rangers, 81-80 – eliminated
10. Tampa Bay Rays, 77-84 – eliminated
11. Athletics, 76-85 – eliminated
12. Baltimore Orioles, 75-86 – eliminated
13. Los Angeles Angels, 72-89 – eliminated
14. Minnesota Twins, 70-91 – eliminated
15. Chicago White Sox, 59-102 – eliminated
National League standings
1. Milwaukee Brewers, 96-65 – clinched National League Central and the best record in MLB
2. Philadelphia Phillies, 95-66 – clinched National League East
3. Los Angeles Dodgers, 92-69 – clinched National League West
4. Chicago Cubs, 91-70 – clinched Wild Card
5. San Diego Padres, 89-72 – clinched Wild Card
6. Cincinnati Reds, 83-78
7. New York Mets, 83-78
8. Arizona Diamondbacks, 80-81 – eliminated
9. San Francisco Giants, 80-81 – eliminated
10. Miami Marlins, 78-83 – eliminated
11. St. Louis Cardinals, 78-83 – eliminated
12. Atlanta Braves, 75-86 – eliminated
13. Pittsburgh Pirates, 71-90 – eliminated
14. Washington Nationals, 66-95 – eliminated
15. Colorado Rockies, 43-118 – eliminated
Playoff scenarios
With the Cleveland Guardians winning on Sept. 27, the six teams making the postseason in the American League are settled. The Houston Astros were officially eliminated, meaning the Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Guardians, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Detroit Tigers will be playing in October.
The Yankees have surged late. With seven straight wins, they now have the same record as the one-seeded Blue Jays. Toronto holds the tiebreaker, though, ensuring that a Blue Jays win or Yankees loss will keep them atop the AL East and the American League as a whole. If the Yankees manage to beat the Baltimore Orioles, and the Blue Jays lose to the Tampa Bay Rays, then New York will soar all the way to the top of the standings.
The AL Central division title is also up for grabs. The Guardians and Tigers are both 87-74. Cleveland's late-season heroics and Detroit's end-of-season collapse has resulted in the two flipping spots in the standings, as Detroit spent most of the season as one of the very top teams in baseball. The Guardians also own the tiebreaker over the Tigers, so Detroit would need to beat the Red Sox and rely on the Guardians losing to the Texas Rangers in order for them to win the division.
Division titles and the top two Wild Card spots are already settled in the National League, but the sixth and final playoff spot isn't. The Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Dodgers won their respective divisions, and the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres are Wild Card teams.
The Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets are fighting for the six-seed. The Reds have gone 8-2 over their last 10 games. The Mets, meanwhile, have faded late in the season. Both teams are 83-78. If the teams end up with identical records, then the Reds will get into the postseason because of the tiebreaker. The Mets need to beat the Miami Marlins and get lucky with a Reds loss to the Brewers in order to get in.
Wild Card games will start on Sept. 30. The top two seeds in each league get a bye, while the other four teams will play in the Wild Card round.
