The Cleveland Guardians have run down the Tigers atop the American League Central, a shocking comeback that may go down as one of the biggest collapses in baseball history for Detroit. The rivals face off in Cleveland this week while scoreboard-watching the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox in the wild-card race.
In the National League, the New York Mets fell out of a playoff spot for the first time since the beginning of April and have nearly completed an impressive meltdown of their own, now fighting with the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks for the final NL wild-card spot.
Here’s the latest look at the playoff race:
Standings entering play Wednesday, Sept. 24
MLB playoff bracket if season ended today
American League
- Byes: Blue Jays, Mariners
- AL wild card series
- Tigers at Guardians
- Red Sox at Yankees
National League
- Byes: Brewers, Phillies
- NL wild card series
- Mets at Dodgers
- Padres at Cubs
AL wild card standings
Top three reach playoffs
- New York Yankees (89-68): +4 games
- Boston Red Sox (86-71) + 1 game
- Detroit Tigers (85-72)
- Houston Astros (84-73): 1 GB
NL wild card standings
Top three reach playoffs
- Chicago Cubs (88-69): +7 games // clinched postseason berth
- San Diego Padres (87-71): +5½ games // clinched postseason berth
- New York Mets (81–76)
- Cincinnati Reds (80-77): 1 GB
- Arizona Diamondbacks (80-77): 1 GB
- St. Louis Cardinals (78-80): 3.5 GB
- Miami Marlins (77-80): 4 GB
- San Francisco Giants (77-81): 4.5 GB
AL East
- Toronto Blue Jays (90-67) – clinched postseason berth
- New York Yankees (89-68): 1 game back // clinched postseason berth
- Boston Red Sox (86-71): 4 GB
AL Central
- Cleveland Guardians (85-72) – holds head-to-head tiebreaker vs Tigers
- Detroit Tigers (85-72)
AL West
- Seattle Mariners (88-69) – clinched postseason berth
- Houston Astros (84-73): 4 GB
NL East
- Philadelphia Phillies (92-65) – clinched NL East title
- New York Mets (81-76)
NL Central
- Milwaukee Brewers (95-63) – clinched NL Central title
- Chicago Cubs (88-69)
NL West
- Los Angeles Dodgers (88-69) – clinched postseason berth
- San Diego Padres (87-71): 1½ GB – clinched postseason berth
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