There isn’t anything better than postseason baseball. And that means we are starting to see the MLB playoff picture become clearer as teams hone in on their postseason spots. In the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers have clinched their fourth straight NL Central crown while the Los Angeles Dodgers have their 13th NL West title in 14 seasons. The Atlanta Braves captured the NL East, while the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, and Arizona Diamondbacks are battling for the wild card spots. The races remain tight in the American League. The Cleveland Guardians and the Chicago White Sox are locked in an AL Central battle while the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers duke it out in the AL West. The Tampa Bay Rays currently top the AL East with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox behind them. Here is where the major postseason races stand as we inch closer to the postseason standings. Standings are as of Sept. 20. JUMP TO: AL: East | Central | West | Wild CardNL: East | Central | West | Wild Card AL East The Boston Red Sox are playoff bound, joining the Rays and Yankees in the AL East. The Rays have the inside track for the division title over the Yankees, with the two teams set for a four-game series this week. The Yankees will have to do it without Aaron Judge, who is back on the injured list for the rest of the regular season. The Blue Jays and Orioles are clinging to slim hopes for the postseason. AL Central Cleveland and Chicago are going back and forth in the AL Central standings. After leading the division for 74 straight days, the White Sox lost a three-game series to the Guardians but the Southsiders own the tiebreaker. Minnesota, Kansas City and Detroit already out. AL West The AL West also feels like it will go down to the wire. The Astros hold a tiebreaker over the current leaders Rangers, with the teams neck and neck in the standings. The Mariners, who came within a game of reaching the World Series last year, are on the verge of elimination. The Angels and Athletics are done. AL Wild Card New York and Boston hold the top AL wild card spots. The White Sox hold the final wild card spot after dropping the AL Central lead to the Guardians. Toronto, Baltimore and Houston are within 2.5 games of that final spot. Seattle cannot be ruled out just yet. The Twins, Tigers, Royals, Angels and Athletics have been eliminated from playoff contention. NL East The first-place Atlanta Braves have punched their ticket to the postseason for the eighth time in nine years and have also captured the NL East. The Philadelphia Phillies are honing on a wild-card spot. The other three division teams – Marlins, Mets, and Nationals – have been eliminated. NL Central The Brewers have the best record in baseball and have clinched a fourth straight NL Central crown. Milwaukee has rotation depth, led by NL Cy Young frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski—who became the second-fastest pitcher in MLB history to reach 200 strikeouts in a season last month. The Cubs hold one of the top NL wild card spots thanks to the stellar play of Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has established himself as an MVP candidate after completing a 40-homer, 30-stolen base season. The Pirates, Cardinals and Reds as the division’s eliminated teams. NL West The Dodgers have taken another step toward a third straight World Series title. They have wrapped up a 13th NL West title in the past 14 seasons. L.A. has now made the postseason in 14 straight seasons, tying Atlanta’s all-time record set from 1991-2005. The Dodgers will aim to finish in one of the top two spots in the NL, which would provide a much-needed bye with star first baseman Freddie Freeman and MVP candidate Shohei Ohtani still working their way back from nagging injuries. San Diego is putting some distance between them and the Diamondbacks in the wild card chase. The Rockies and Giants are out. NL Wild Card Philadelphia, Chicago and San Diego top the NL wild card standings, with Arizona trying to keep pace. Teams that have been eliminated are the Marlins, Cardinals, Pirates, Rockies, Giants, Reds, Mets and Nationals. Clinching Scenarios There are three AL East teams – Rays, Yankees, and Red Sox – that have clinched postseason spots. The Rays’ magic number for the AL East crown is two games. The AL Central and AL West races will go down to the wire. The Brewers (winners of the NL Central) and Dodgers (NL West winners) are the two NL teams that have clinched postseason spots. The Braves have locked up the NL East. The Phillies, Cubs, and Padres are likely the wild card teams. The Associated Press contributed to this story.
2026 MLB Playoff Picture, Standings: Red Sox Join The Postseason Party
