2023 MLB playoff picture, standings, projections: Braves clinch division before any other team clinches berth

There are less than 20 days remaining in the 2023 Major League Baseball regular season, and the MLB playoff picture will be set by Oct. 1. The MLB-leading Atlanta Braves clinched their sixth straight division title on Wednesday night with a win over the Phillies, and they wrapped up the NL East before any other team even clinched a playoff berth. More teams will have champagne showers to celebrate division titles in the coming days. The Dodgers and Twins have all but officially sewn up their respective divisions, while the Orioles, Astros, Brewers and hoping to stay in first place over the next two-plus weeks.
The wild-card races figure to add the most drama about who will make the 12-team postseason field. The Rays have created a lot of separation between the pack and will be locked into the No. 4 seed in the American League if they can’t track down the Orioles in the AL East. It’s a three-team fight for other two AL wild-card spots with the Blue Jays, Rangers and Mariners battling. The Rangers have seemingly snapped out of their funk and have won five games in a row to get back in the field.
The NL wild-card chase features an even more crowded field. There are six teams fighting for three spots, and they are separated by four games. The Phillies have had their grasp on the top wild-card spot for weeks, but have had a shaky start to September. The Cubs are currently the NL’s No. 5 seed, while the Diamondbacks, Reds, Marlins and Giants have nearly identical records.
The 2023 MLB playoff picture is also notable for who is not in it. The Yankees, Mets, Padres and Cardinals — all playoff teams in 2022 and expected contenders in 2023 — have had disappointing years that will end with the regular season. The Angels saw their playoff hopes dashed in a dismal August. The Halos crashed out of the race while learning Shohei Ohtani will not pitch again this season with a torn UCL in his right elbow.
As a reminder, MLB now uses a 12-team playoff format with the three division winners and three wild card teams in both leagues qualifying for the postseason. The two division winners with the best records in each league get byes to the League Division Series round, while the other eight teams square off in a best-of-three Wild Card Series.
Who’s clinched?
Braves: Clinched NL East
Here’s a look at the MLB standings and playoff picture for the 12-team postseason as of this morning. All division and postseason odds are courtesy of SportsLine, and you can check out the expanded standings here.
2023 MLB playoff picture
American League
Byes
No. 1 Orioles and No. 2 Astros
Wild Card Series
No. 3 Twins vs. No. 6 Mariners
No. 4 Rays vs. No. 5 Rangers
National League
Byes
No. 1 Braves and No. 2 Dodgers
Wild Card Series
No. 3 Brewers vs. No. 6 Reds
No. 4 Phillies vs. No. 5 Cubs
American League standings
AL EAST W L GB DIV POST Baltimore 91 54 — 70.7% 99.9% Tampa Bay 90 57 2.0 29.3% 99.7% Toronto 80 66 11.5 0.0% 44.0% Boston 73 72 18.0 0.0% <1.0% N.Y. Yankees 73 72 18.0 0.0% <1.0%
AL CENTRAL W L GB DIV POST Minnesota 76 70 — 99.6% 99.6% Cleveland 69 78 7.5 <1.0% <1.0% Detroit 66 79 9.5 0.0% 0.0% Chi. White Sox – e 56 90 20.0 0.0% 0.0% Kansas City – e 46 101 30.5 0.0% 0.0%
AL WEST W L GB DIV POST Houston 83 64 — 69.0% 97.3% Texas 81 64 1.0 11.3% 79.3% Seattle 81 65 1.5 18.6% 78.1% L.A. Angels 68 79 15.0 0.0% 0.0% Oakland – e 46 100 36.5 0.0% 0.0%
National League standings
NL EAST W L GB DIV POST Atlanta 96 50 — 100.0% 100.0% Philadelphia 79 67 17.0 0.0% 96.8% Miami 75 71 21.0 0.0% 27.6% N.Y. Mets 67 78 28.5 0.0% <1.0% Washington
65 81 31.0 0.0% 0.0%
NL CENTRAL W L GB DIV POST Milwaukee 81 64 — 91.9% 99.8% Chi. Cubs 78 69 4.0 7.9% 81.3% Cincinnati 76 71 6.0 0.0% 37.8% Pittsburgh 68 78 13.5 0.0% 0.0% St. Louis 65 81 16.5 0.0% 0.0%
NL WEST W L GB DIV POST L.A. Dodgers 88 57 — 100.0% 100.0% Arizona 76 71 13.0 0.0% 28.6% San Francisco 75 71 13.5 0.0% 27.8% San Diego 69 78 20.0 0.0% <1.0% Colorado – e 53 92 35.0 0.0% 0.0%
Wild-card standings
American League
TEAM W L WCGB Tampa Bay 90 57 +8.5 Texas 81 64 +0.5 Seattle 81 65 — Toronto 80 66 1.0
National League