We’ve hit the halfway point of the season -- most teams crossed the 81-game threshold this weekend -- and we’re starting to see the division and Wild Card races take shape.
With that in mind, it’s time to check in on which teams would be in the postseason, along with what the matchups would look like if the playoffs were to begin now.
Here’s a breakdown of what the postseason field would look like if the season ended today.
(Here's a refresher on playoff tiebreakers, which were used to determine this postseason outlook.)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Byes: Rays (1) and White Sox (2)
The Rays won 99 games and nearly led the Majors in wins during the 2023 season. Three years later, the Rays are threatening to lead the American League in wins. At 47-33, the Rays are narrowly ahead of the 48-34 Yankees. Much like the AL East finished last season -- the Yanks and Blue Jays both finished with 94 wins -- the division is shaping up to be close yet again.
The White Sox, meanwhile, have been one of baseball’s biggest surprises and are not just threatening to land a playoff spot but also a potential first-round bye. The Guardians are right on their heels, so nothing is remotely certain, but Chicago has positioned itself quite well for the playoffs so far.
Wild Card Series matchups
- Rangers (6) at Mariners (3)
- Guardians (5) at Yankees (4)
The Yanks are currently a Wild Card club, but there’s no reason to think they won’t be competing with the Rays for the AL East the rest of the season. Beyond the Yanks, Cleveland is also in a good position with an 43-40 record.
After Tampa Bay and Cleveland is where things get interesting. There are plenty of teams all bunched together for the final spot in the AL. None of those clubs are above .500. This will surely change with half of the season left, but there’s not much clarity for that final spot.
Just missed: A's (1 game back), Astros (1 game back)
Dropped out since last month: Blue Jays
It's been a sluggish encore for the Blue Jays after winning the AL pennant and nearly winning the World Series last season. With that in mind, Toronto is very much in position to make it back to the playoffs, as the Blue Jays are only two games back of a Wild Card spot.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Byes: Dodgers (1), Brewers (2)
No real surprises here: the Dodgers are the defending two-time World Series champions and have an MLB-best 53-30 record. While they “fell” all the way to the No. 3 NL spot last season, the Dodgers still ended up winning the Fall Classic anyways. Right behind them is the Brewers, who led the Majors with 97 wins in 2025. There’s not much separation between Milwaukee and Atlanta, however, for the second spot -- the Braves are 1 1/2 games behind the Brewers.
Wild Card Series matchups:
- Padres (6) at Braves (3)
- Cubs (5) at Phillies (4)
Between the trio of the Dodgers, Brewers and Braves, one of those teams will unfortunately be on the outside looking in for a first-round bye. The Phillies, too, might have something to say about that -- they have been one of baseball’s top teams after a rough start to the season and could win the NL East.
Beyond that group of clubs, the Cubs are in a solid position to make the playoffs, but their inconsistencies have made their evaluation tough. Behind Chicago are plenty of teams within vying for the final Wild Card spot. As of now, that belongs to the Padres, but there are plenty of teams vying for that position.
Just missed: Marlins (0 games back, lower winning% than SD), Cardinals (half-game back)
Dropped out since last month: Cardinals, D-backs
The Cardinals are only a half-game back of a playoff spot, so they're still in a strong position to grab a playoff spot. St. Louis has struggled after a hot start and is in the midst of a four-game losing streak.