September, the final month of Major League Baseball’s regular-season calendar, is just around the bend. That means the stretch drive is underway and deserving of our full focus. Speaking of which, the various and sundry playoff races are baseball’s leading story right now, and we’ve devoted this very space to them.
By way of reminder, MLB now grants 12 playoff berths — a total of six to the division winners and then three wild-card berths in each league. The top two division winners in each league as measured by overall record are rewarded with first-round byes, which means they won’t have to play in the best-of-three Wild Card Series that functions as that first round.
As for what hangs in the balance, there’s quite a bit of it. The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles are still locked in a tight struggle atop the American League East standings. Three teams — the Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals, and Minnesota Twins — have designs on the AL Central title. As well, the leaders out west, the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers, haven’t yet buried their competition.
On the wild-card front, the New York Mets remain within range of the Atlanta Braves, who hold the third and final spot in the NL. On the AL side, the Boston Red Sox are hoping to hawk down that third spot, which the Twins presently hold. All of this is to say nothing of all the jockeying for seeding and those aforementioned byes.
Now let’s get you caught up on where all these races stand right now as the final weeks of the regular season loom before us. All division and postseason projections referenced in the standings come from SportsLine.
2024 MLB playoff picture
If the season ended today…
American League
Byes: No. 1 Yankees, No. 2 Royals
Wild Card Series: No. 3 Astros vs. No. 6 Twins, No. 4 Orioles vs. No. 5 Guardians
National League
Byes: No. 1 Dodgers, No. 2 Phillies
Wild Card Series: No. 3 Brewers vs. No. 6 Braves, No. 4 D-backs vs. No. 5 Padres
American League standings
AL East W L GB Div Post N.Y. Yankees 78 55 — 65.3% 99.9% Baltimore 77 56 1.0 34.6% 99.4% Boston 68 64 9.5 0.0% 18.6% Tampa Bay 66 66 11.5 0.0% 1.9% Toronto 65 68 13.5 0.0% <1.0%
AL Central W L GB Div Post Kansas City 75 58 — 20.7% 85.6% Cleveland
75 58 -- 61.1% 97.8% Minnesota 72 60 2.5 17.3% 86.3% Detroit 67 66 8.0 0.0% 4.6% Chi. White Sox - e 31 101 43.5 0.0% 0.0%
AL West W L GB Div Post Houston 70 62 — 88.3% 89.8% Seattle 67 66 3.5 11.7% 15.0% Texas 60 71 9.5 0.0% <1.0% Oakland 57 75 13.0 0.0% 0.0% L.A. Angels 54 78 16.0 0.0% 0.0%
National League standings
NL East W L GB Div Post Philadelphia 78 54 — 94.9% 99.7% Atlanta 72 60 6.0 4.4% 77.1% N.Y. Mets 69 63 9.0 0.0% 27.3% Washington 60 73 18.5 0.0% 0.0% Miami 48 84 30.0 0.0% 0.0%
NL Central W L GB Div Post Milwaukee 75 56 — 99.7% 99.8% Chi. Cubs 67 66 9.0 0.0% 3.8% St. Louis 65 67 10.5 0.0% <1.0% Cincinnati 63 69 12.5 0.0% <1.0% Pittsburgh 62 70 13.5 0.0% <1.0%
NL West W L GB Div Post L.A. Dodgers 78 54 — 75.6% 99.9% Arizona 75 57 3.0 10.0% 92.3% San Diego 76 58 3.0 14.4% 96.8% San Francisco 67 66 11.5 0.0% 2.6% Colorado 49 84 29.5 0.0% 0.0%
MLB wild-card standings
AL wild card W L WCGB Baltimore 77 56 +4.5 Kansas City 75 58 +2.5 Minnesota 72 60 — Boston 68 64 4.0 Detroit 67 66 5.5 Seattle
67 66 5.5 Tampa Bay 66 66 6.0 Toronto 65 69 8.0
2024 World Series odds
(As of Aug. 28)