There’s still a lot to decide heading into the final weekend of the Major League Baseball regular season.
Two division races are up for grabs with the Yankees and Blue Jays tied for first in the AL East plus the Guardians and Tigers sharing the top spot in the AL Central.
The Blue Jays and Guardians hold the tiebreakers, so they all they have to do is win out to take the crown.
There are close wild-card races in both leagues with the Mets up a game on the Reds for the last NL spot and the Tigers one game ahead of the Astros for the final AL wild card.
One division race was settled on Thursday:
The Dodgers are NL West champs for the fourth year in a row and 12th time in the last 13 seasons.
Also decided:
The Yankees and Blue Jays won their games to clinch no worse than the first AL wild card, which brings home-field advantage for the entire best-of-three Wild Card Series.
The AL East winner will receive a first-round bye and be the top seed in the AL until it’s passed this weekend by the AL West-champion Mariners, who lost the tiebreaker to both the Yankees and Blue Jays.
Here are highlights from Thursday’s games involving contenders:
In Phoenix, Freddie Freeman homered twice and Shohei Ohtani hit his 54th in an 8-0 Dodgers win over the Diamondbacks that clinched another NL West title.
In Cleveland, Jahmai Jones led off the game with a homer and the Tigers ended an eight-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Guardians that forced a first-place tie in the AL Central. This was only the third loss in the last 20 games for Cleveland.
In Cincinnati, the Reds stayed one game out of a playoff spot with a 3-2 win over the Pirates that was highlighted by right fielder Noelvi Marte robbing Bryan Reynolds of a game-tying, ninth-inning homer. “Under the circumstances, that’s one of the best plays I’ve ever seen,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “You take the time of the game, the time of the season, how high he got up.”
In New York, Giancarlo Stanton turned a two-run deficit into a one-run lead with a fifth-inning, three-run double for the Yankees, who beat the White Sox 5-3 for a three-game series sweep. The Yanks can repeat as AL East champs by winning one more game than the Blue Jays this weekend. The Yanks are home against the Orioles and the Blue Jays play the Rays in Toronto.
In Toronto, Daulton Varsho broke up a scoreless game with a sixth-inning grand slam and the Blue Jays beat the Red Sox 6-1 to maintain control of their division title fate. The Red Sox, who had no baserunners for six innings facing three Toronto pitchers, need one win or one Astros loss this weekend to clinch a wild-card berth. Boston will be home against the Tigers, the Astros on the road facing the Angels.
In Chicago, Francisco Lindor hit his 30th homer for second 30/30 season and the Mets beat the Cubs 8-5 to maintain a one-game NL wild-card lead over the Reds and go two games ahead of the Diamondbacks. Lindor’s homer also gave the Mets three players with 30 homers for the first time. The others are Juan Soto (43) and Pete Alonso (37).
In Sacramento, Calif., Christian Walker drove in three runs with a homer and single for the Astros, who remained one game out of a wild-card berth with an 11-5 win over the Athletics that snapped a five-game losing streak. A’s rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz hit his 34th and 35th homers.
In Philadelphia, Alec Bohm drove in the only run of the game on a first-inning groundout in a 1-0 Phillies blanking of the Marlins. The Phillies will have the NL’s No. 2 seed in the playoffs unless they sweep the Twins at home this weekend along with the Brewers losing three to the Reds in Milwaukee.
In Seattle, the Mariners played a West Coast game against the Rockies a day after clinching their first AL West title since 2001.
Here’s a look at magic numbers plus the remaining schedules and tiebreakers for the contenders through Thursday, Sept. 25 along with playoff matchups if the postseason began on Friday, Sept. 26:
AL EAST
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (91-68)
Standings: Tied with Yankees in AL East. Blue Jays hold tiebreaker.
Tiebreakers: Blue Jays won season series with Yankees 8-5; Blue Jays won season series with Mariners 4-2; Blue Jays split season series with Guardians 3-3.
Magic number to clinch AL East: 3
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched Sept. 21.
Games remaining: 3 (3 home, 0 road).
Blue Jays schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: Rays, 7:07 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: Rays, 3:07 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: Rays, 3:07 p.m., EST
NEW YORK YANKEES (91-68)
Standings: Tied with Blue Jays for first in AL East. Blue Jays hold tiebreaker. First in AL wild-card standings. Lead Astros by 6 games for third wild card.
Tiebreakers: Yankees lost season series with Blue Jays 8-5; Yankees lost season series with Red Sox 9-4; Yankees won season series with Mariners 5-1; Yankees tied season series with Guardians 3-3, but lose tiebreaker on division record.
Magic number to clinch AL East: 4
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched Sept. 23.
Games remaining: 3 (3 home, 0 road).
Yankees schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: Orioles, 7:05 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: Orioles, 1:05 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: Orioles, 3:05 p.m., EST
BOSTON RED SOX (87-72)
Standings: Third in AL East. Trail first-place Blue Jays by 4 games. Second in AL wild-card standings. Lead Astros 2 games for 3rd AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Red Sox won season series with Yankees 9-4; Red Sox tied season series with Mariners 3-3; Red Sox won season series with Astros 4-2; Red Sox won season series with Guardians 4-2.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 1
Games remaining: 3 (3 home, 0 road).
Red Sox schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: Tigers, 7:10 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: Tigers, 4:10 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: Tigers, 3:05 p.m., EST
AL CENTRAL
CLEVELAND GUARDIANS (86-73)
Standings: Tied with Tigers for first in AL Central. Guardians hold tiebreaker.
Lead second-place Tigers by 1 game.
Tiebreakers: Guardians won season series with Tigers 8-5; Guardians lost season series with Mariners 4-2; Guardians won season series with Astros 4-2; Guardians lost season series with Red Sox 4-2.
Magic number to clinch AL Central: 3
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 2
Remaining games: 3 (3 home, 0 road).
Guardians schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: Rangers, 7:10 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: Rangers, 6:10 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: Rangers, 3:10 p.m., EST
DETROIT TIGERS (86-73)
Standings: Tied with Guardians for first in AL Central. Guardians hold tiebreaker. Third in AL wild-card standings. Lead Astros by 1 game for third AL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Tigers lost season series with Guardians 8-5; Tigers lost season series with Mariners 4-2; Tigers won season series with Astros 4-2.
Magic number to clinch AL Central: 4
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 2
Remaining games: 3 (0 home, 3 road).
Tigers schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: at Red Sox, 4:10 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: at Red Sox, 3:05 p.m., EST
AL WEST
SEATTLE MARINERS (89-69)
Standings: First in AL West. Lead Astros by 4.5 games.
Tiebreakers: Mariners won season series with Tigers 4-2; Mariners won season series with Guardians 4-2.
Magic number to clinch AL West: Clinched Sept. 24.
Remaining games: 3 (3 home, 0 road).
Mariners schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: Dodgers, 9:40 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: Dodgers, 9:40 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: Dodgers, 3:10 p.m., EST
HOUSTON ASTROS (85-74)
Standings: Second in AL West. Trail first-place Mariners by 4.5 games. Fourth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Tigers by 1 game.
Tiebreakers: Astros lost season series with Red Sox 4-2; Astros lost season series with Guardians 4-2; Astros lost season series with Tigers 4-2.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 3
Remaining games: 3 (0 home, 3 road).
Astros schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: at Angels, 9:38 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: at Angels, 9:38 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: at Angels, 3:07 p.m., EST
NL EAST
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (94-65)
Standings: First in NL East. Lead second-place Mets by 12 games.
Tiebreakers: Phillies won season series with Dodgers 4-2; Phillies lost season series with Brewers 4-2.
Magic number to clinch NL East: Clinched Sept. 15.
Remaining games: 3 (3 home, 0 road).
Phillies schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: Twins, 7:45 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: Twins, 7:05 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: Twins, 3:05 p.m., EST
NEW YORK METS (82-77)
Standings: Second in NL East. Trail first-place Phillies by 12 games. Third NL wild-card standings. Mets lead Reds by 1 for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Mets lost season series with Reds 4-2; Mets tied season series with Diamondbacks 3-3, but lose on division record.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: 3
Remaining games: 3 (0 home, 3 road).
Mets schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: at Marlins, 7:10 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: at Marlins, 4:10 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: at Marlins, 3:10 p.m., EST
NL CENTRAL
MILWAUKEE BREWERS (96-63)
Standings: First in NL Central. Lead second-place Cubs by 7 games.
Tiebreakers: Brewers won season series with Phillies 4-2.
Magic number to clinch NL Central: Clinched Sept. 21.
Remaining games: 3 (3 home, 0 road).
Brewers schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: Reds, 8:10 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: Reds, 7:10 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: Reds, 3:10 p.m., EST
CHICAGO CUBS (89-70)
Standings: Second in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 7 games. First in NL wild-card standings. Lead Reds by 8 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Cubs tied season series with Padres 3-3, but lose tiebreaker on division record.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched Sept. 16.
Remaining games: 3 (3 home, 0 road).
Cubs schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: Cardinals, 2:20 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: Cardinals, 2:20 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: Cardinals, 3:20 p.m., EST
CINCINNATI REDS (81-78)
Standings: Third in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 15 games. Fourth in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets by 1 for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Reds won season series with Mets 4-2; Reds won season series with Diamondbacks 4-2.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 3
Remaining games: 3 (0 home, 3 road).
Reds schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: at Brewers, 8:10 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: at Brewers, 7:10 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: at Brewers, 3:10 p.m., EST
NL WEST
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (90-69)
Standings: First in NL West. Lead second-place Padres by 3 games.
Tiebreakers: Dodgers won season series with Padres 9-4; Dodgers lost season series with Phillies 4-2.
Magic number to clinch NL West: Clinched Sept. 25.
Remaining games: 3 (0 home, 3 road).
Dodgers schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: at Mariners, 9:40 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: at Mariners, 9:40 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: at Mariners, 3:10 p.m., EST
SAN DIEGO PADRES (87-72)
Standings: Second in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 3 games. Second in NL wild-card standings. Lead Reds by 6 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Padres lost season series with Dodgers 9-4.
Magic number to clinch playoffs: Clinched Sept. 22.
Remaining games: 3 (3 home, 0 road).
Padres schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: Diamondbacks, 9:40 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: Diamondbacks, 8:40 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: Diamondbacks, 3:10 p.m., EST
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (80-79)
Standings: Third in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 10 games. Fifth in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets by 2 games for third NL wild card.
Tiebreakers: Diamondbacks tied season series with Mets 3-3, but Arizona has tiebreaker based on best division record. Diamondbacks lost season series with Reds 4-2.
Magic number for playoffs elimination: 2
Remaining games: 3 (0 home, 3 road).
Diamondbacks schedule:
Friday, Sept. 26: at Padres, 9:40 p.m., EST
Saturday, Sept. 27: at Padres, 8:40 p.m., EST
Sunday, Sept. 28: at Padres, 3:10 p.m., EST
POSTSEASON MATCHUPS
AL WILD CARD SERIES (best-of-3)
Blue Jays (1), Mariners (2), byes
Tigers (6) at Guardians (3)
Red Sox (5) at Yankees (4)
NL WILD CARD SERIES (best-of-3)
Brewers (1), Phillies (2), byes
Mets (6) at Dodgers (3)
Padres (5) at Cubs (4)