Are Yankees the best bet to make it to World Series from American League?
Gabe Lacques breaks down the Yankees’ World Series chances and whether New York is the best bet to emerge from a competitive American League.
Sports Seriously
October is starting to come into focus.
Several MLB teams have already locked up postseason berths, but many of baseball’s biggest races remain unsettled. The American League Central and AL West are still up for grabs, the final AL wild-card spot remains hotly contested and jockeying for National League wild-card positioning could continue until the season’s final days.
Here’s every team that has clinched a playoff berth, along with the clubs that could be next and what the postseason bracket would look like if the season ended right now.
Which MLB teams have clinched playoff berths?
American League
National League
Which MLB teams have clinched divisions?
- Milwaukee Brewers: NL Central
- Los Angeles Dodgers: NL West
Who could clinch next?
These are the teams closest to clinching divisions/playoff spots:
- Atlanta Braves — 1 to clinch playoff berth (5 to clinch NL East)
- Boston Red Sox — 3 to clinch playoff berth
- Chicago Cubs — 4 to clinch playoff berth
- Milwaukee Brewers — 4 to clinch first-round bye (7 to clinch NL homefield advantage)
- New York Yankees — 4 to clinch at least No. 1 wild card
- Philadelphia Phillies — 5 to clinch playoff berth
- Los Angeles Dodgers — 6 to clinch first-round bye
- San Diego Padres — 6 to clinch playoff berth
- Tampa Bay Rays — 6 to clinch AL East, first-round bye and AL homefield advantage
- Chicago White Sox — 7 to clinch playoff berth (9 to clinch AL Central)
- Cleveland Guardians — 8 to clinch playoff berth (10 to clinch AL Central)
- Houston Astros — 8 to clinch AL West
Projected MLB postseason bracket
This would be the playoff field if the season ended after games on Wednesday, Sept. 16:
American League
- Tampa Bay Rays (East)
- Chicago White Sox (Central)
- Houston Astros (West)
- New York Yankees (Wild card No. 1)
- Boston Red Sox (Wild card No. 2)
- Chicago White Sox (Wild card No. 3)
National League
- Milwaukee Brewers (Central)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (West)
- Atlanta Braves (East)
- Chicago Cubs (Wild card No. 1)
- Philadelphia Phillies (Wild card No. 2)
- San Diego Padres (Wild card No. 3)
