As the regular season approaches its final four days, excitement builds among contending teams in Major League Baseball. The landscape is shifting, and here’s a detailed overview of where each team stands as they vie for postseason positions.
In a celebratory atmosphere, the Seattle Mariners popped champagne bottles not just once, but twice. After clinching a postseason berth, the team celebrated winning the AL West title for the first time since 2001. Adding to the jubilation, Cal Raleigh smashed his 60th homer of the season, a remarkable achievement that places him among elite sluggers.
On Wednesday, the Boston Red Sox took care of business against the Toronto Blue Jays, reducing their magic number for a postseason berth to just one. This victory has stirred the competitive waters at the top of the AL East, where the Yankees and Blue Jays are now tied with 90-68 records, while the Red Sox trail by three games.
With the Yankees lacking tiebreakers against both Toronto and Boston, the pressure is on. They need to win all four remaining games or rely on the Blue Jays to falter. Here’s the schedule for the final four games in the AL East:
Thursday: White Sox at Yankees, Red Sox at Blue JaysFriday to Sunday: Orioles at Yankees, Tigers at Red Sox, Rays at Blue JaysThe Red Sox must win out while hoping for losses from the other teams in the division, making their matchup against the Tigers crucial, as Detroit cannot afford further losses.
The Cleveland Guardians have emerged as the new leaders of the AL Central, a position they seemed far from just 100 days ago. Now, with the Tigers relegated to the AL Wild Card race, a rematch against Cleveland is on the horizon if the season ends today. The Houston Astros are just one game behind the Tigers, needing to win out as they lack the necessary tiebreaker.
In the National League, the Arizona Diamondbacks remain contenders despite losing several key players to injuries and undergoing a mid-season sell-off. They are currently one game behind the Mets, who also lost on Wednesday. The playoff race in the NL is tight, with the Cincinnati Reds also in contention, trailing the Mets by a game.
As the weekend approaches, the matchups are as follows:
Mets at MarlinsDiamondbacks at PadresReds at BrewersIf the playoffs were to start today, the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners would secure first-round byes as the top seeds in the American League. Toronto would enjoy home-field advantage through the AL Championship Series due to their stellar record. The current playoff matchups are:
AL Wild Card Series: No. 6 Tigers at No. 3 Guardians; No. 5 Red Sox at No. 4 YankeesAL Division Series: Yankees/Red Sox at Blue Jays; Tigers/Guardians at MarinersIn the National League, the Brewers and Phillies are poised to enter the playoffs as the top two seeds, each receiving a first-round bye. If the Brewers reach the World Series, they will maintain home-field advantage thanks to their league-best record. The NL playoff matchups currently stand as:
NL Wild Card Series: No. 6 Mets at No. 3 Dodgers; No. 5 Padres at No. 4 CubsNL Division Series: Dodgers/Mets at Phillies; Cubs/Padres at BrewersOn Thursday, several pivotal games will unfold:
Tigers at Guardians: A win for Cleveland could extend their lead in the AL Central.White Sox at Yankees: New York needs to secure a win to keep pace with Toronto.Red Sox at Blue Jays: A victory for Boston would clinch their postseason spot.Dodgers at Diamondbacks: Los Angeles aims to secure the NL West, while Arizona fights to keep their season alive.Mets at Cubs: Chicago is still vying for the NL wild-card spot.Rockies at Mariners: Seattle is in contention for the AL’s top seed, with Cal Raleigh just two homers shy of tying the AL single-season record of 62.With so much on the line, every game matters as teams push toward the postseason. Stay tuned for thrilling baseball action!
