Here is what the playoff picture looks like entering September
The 2026 postseason is approaching. As you keep an eye on the standings, here is everything you need to know about how the playoff field is shaping up, as well as info about potential tiebreakers and clinch scenarios for each contender.
WHO IS IN PLAYOFF POSITION?
Here is a look at how the postseason field is shaping up, entering Tuesday. (Teams listed in order of seeding).
AL playoff teams: Rays (AL East), White Sox (AL Central), Astros (AL West), Yankees (Wild Card), Red Sox (Wild Card), Guardians (Wild Card)
NL playoff teams: Brewers (NL Central), Dodgers (NL West), Braves (NL East), Cubs (Wild Card), Phillies (Wild Card), Padres (Wild Card)
For a look at the full bracket, see the top of this page.
Each of the best-of-three Wild Card Series are set to begin on Sept. 29, while each of the best-of-five Division Series are set to begin on Oct. 3.
WHAT ARE THE TIGHTEST RACES?
AL Wild Card: Guardians lead Orioles by 0.5 games for final berth
NL Wild Card: Padres lead Diamondbacks by 0.5 games for final berth
AL West: Astros lead Rangers by 2 games
AL Central: White Sox lead Guardians by 3 games
WHAT ARE TODAY'S KEY GAMES?
Blue Jays at Guardians, 6:40 p.m. ET | Get tickets
White Sox at Astros, 8:10 p.m. ET | Get tickets
Phillies at Diamondbacks, 9:40 p.m. ET | Get tickets
WHO OWNS THE TIEBREAKERS?
Since 2022, all playoff tiebreakers have been determined mathematically, rather than via tiebreaker games. That means ties for division titles and postseason berths, as well as for seeding, come down first to head-to-head record between those teams during the season, with other tiebreakers available if needed.
Read here for a full explanation.
Below, MLB.com is tracking the progress of relevant tiebreaker scenarios for contenders (defined here as within five games of a playoff spot).
AL: Astros | Blue Jays | Guardians | Orioles | Rangers | Red Sox | Twins | White Sox | Yankees
NL: Braves | Brewers | Cardinals | Cubs | D-backs | Dodgers | Marlins | Padres | Phillies
AL EAST
Rays (1st in AL East; 4.5 games ahead of NYY)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: N/A
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: N/A
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Yankees (6-3; 4 games left), Red Sox (5-5; 3 games left)
The Yankees might be the only team within striking distance of the Rays in the standings, and the Rays would hold the tiebreaker over them, barring a four-game sweep in the Bronx from Sept. 22-24.
Yankees (1st in AL Wild Card, 3 games ahead of BOS)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Red Sox, White Sox
- Lose tiebreaker vs. N/A
- Tiebreaker TBD vs. Rays (3-6; 4 games left)
By taking three of four from Boston from Aug. 28-30, the Yankees locked up a tiebreaker against their longtime rival.
Red Sox (2nd in AL Wild Card; 5.5 games ahead of CLE)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: White Sox
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: Yankees, Astros, Blue Jays
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Rays (5-5; 3 games left), Guardians (2-1; 3 games left), Orioles (5-4; 4 games left), Rangers (2-1; 3 games left)
If the Red Sox fade down the stretch and wind up tied for the last Wild Card spot, their remaining games against Cleveland and Baltimore could loom large.
Orioles (0.5 games behind CLE for 3rd AL Wild Card)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Astros, White Sox
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: Rangers
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Blue Jays (3-4; 6 games left), Guardians (1-3; 3 games left), Red Sox (4-5; 4 games left), Twins (3-3)
The Orioles still have several key tiebreakers to be decided in September, including their tiebreaker against the Twins, which will be determined by division record.
Blue Jays (1.5 games behind CLE for 3rd AL Wild Card)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: N/A
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: Rangers, Twins, White Sox
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Astros (3-3), Guardians (2-1; 3 games left), Orioles (4-3; 6 games left)
The Blue Jays’ series against the Guardians from Tuesday to Thursday in Cleveland could help Toronto make up ground and could determine a key tiebreaker.
AL CENTRAL
White Sox (1st in AL Central; 3 games ahead of CLE)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Blue Jays, Rangers
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: Orioles, Red Sox
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Astros (1-3; 3 games left), Guardians (6-4; 3 games left)
Chicago needs just one win in its final series against Cleveland from Sept. 14-16 to secure a critical tiebreaker against its division rival.
Guardians (3rd in AL Wild Card, 0.5 games ahead of BAL)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: N/A
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: Astros, Rangers
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Blue Jays (1-2; 3 games left), Orioles (3-1; 3 games left), Red Sox (1-2; 3 games left), Twins (4-6; 3 games left), White Sox (4-6; 3 games left)
Most of the Guardians’ key tiebreakers have yet to be decided, but they have wrapped up a tiebreaker against Seattle if the two teams end up tied for a Wild Card spot.
Twins (3.5 games behind CLE for 3rd AL Wild Card)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Astros, Blue Jays
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: N/A
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Guardians (6-4; 3 games left), Orioles (3-3), Rangers (3-0; 3 games left)
Any Twins-Orioles tiebreaker for a Wild Card spot would come down to intradivisional record.
AL WEST
Astros (1st in AL West; 2 games ahead of TEX)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Guardians, Rangers
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: Orioles, Twins
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Blue Jays (3-3), White Sox (3-1; 3 games left)
Houston would win a tiebreaker against Texas in the case of a tie atop the AL West.
Rangers (1.5 games behind CLE for 3rd AL Wild Card)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Blue Jays, Guardians, Orioles
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: Astros, White Sox
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Twins (0-3; 3 games left)
The Rangers are in great shape among AL Wild Card foes, although they would lose a head-to-head tiebreaker to the Astros.
NL EAST
Braves (1st in NL East; 4 games ahead of PHI)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Dodgers
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: N/A
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Brewers (3-3), Cubs (2-1; 3 games left), Phillies (5-1; 7 games left)
The Braves have already clinched the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Dodgers and need two wins in their final seven games against the Phillies to secure another key tiebreaker.
Phillies (T-1st in NL Wild Card; 5 games ahead of SD)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Padres
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: Cubs
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Braves (1-5; 7 games left), D-backs (2-2; 2 games left)
The Phillies do not hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Cubs, their closest competitors for the top NL Wild Card spot.
Marlins (4 games behind SD for 3rd NL Wild Card)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Cardinals
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: N/A
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: D-backs (3-0; 3 games left), Padres (0-3; 3 games left)
Back-to-back road sets in Arizona (Sept. 14-16) and San Diego (Sept. 18-20) will be crucial for Miami’s postseason hopes.
NL CENTRAL
Brewers (1st in NL Central, 7 games ahead of CHC)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Dodgers (4-3)
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: N/A
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Braves (3-3)
If the Brewers and Braves end the regular season tied, the higher seed will go to the club with the better division record.
Cubs (T-1st in NL Wild Card; 5 games ahead of SD)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: D-backs, Padres, Phillies
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: N/A
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Braves (1-2; 3 games left)
The Cubs are in excellent shape here and could secure all relevant tiebreakers with a sweep of the Braves during their Sept. 14-16 series at Wrigley Field.
Cardinals (5 games behind SD for third NL Wild Card)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Padres
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: D-backs, Marlins
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: N/A
On the edge of the playoff race, St. Louis would win a head-to-head tiebreaker against San Diego but would lose out to Arizona or Miami.
NL WEST
Dodgers (1st in NL West; 9.5 games ahead of SD)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Phillies
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: Braves, Brewers, Cubs
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: N/A
The Dodgers have lost head-to-head tiebreakers against both the Braves and Brewers, which could matter in the race for a first-round postseason bye.
Padres (3rd in NL Wild Card; 0.5 games ahead of AZ)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: N/A
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: Cardinals, Cubs, Phillies
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: D-backs (5-5; 3 games left), Marlins (3-0; 3 games left)
The Padres don’t currently hold any postseason tiebreakers but can pick up two of them if they win one of three games against Miami (Sept. 18-20) or win their series against Arizona (Sept. 25-27).
D-backs (0.5 games behind SD for 3rd NL Wild Card)
- Win tiebreaker vs.: Cardinals
- Lose tiebreaker vs.: Cubs
- Tiebreaker TBD vs.: Marlins (0-3; 3 games left), Padres (5-5; 3 games left), Phillies (2-2; 2 games left)
The D-backs will wrap up the regular season against the Padres at Petco Park in a pivotal series that will determine the head-to-head tiebreaker between the two clubs and might just decide a playoff spot.