There’s less than four weeks remaining in the Major League Baseball season, and there are a number of playoff spots and seedings still to be determined in the final month of the season.
Here’s a breakdown of where teams stand entering play September 9, with the final day of the season, October 5, quickly approaching.
First, there’s the non-entities. These are the teams that have yet to be eliminated from contention, but soon will:
On the American League side, it’s the Oakland Athletics (50-88, 26.5 games back of the final American League Wild Card spot), Detroit Tigers (52-85, 24.5 GB), Kansas City Royals (56-82, 21 GB) , Texas Rangers (59-77, 17 GB), Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (60-77, 16.5 GB), and Boston Red Sox (67-71, 10 GB).
On the National League side, it’s the Washington Nationals (49-89, 26.5 GB of final National League Wild Card spot), Pittsburgh Pirates (50-86, 24.5 GB), Cincinnati Reds (55-80, 19 GB), Miami Marlins (56-80, 18.5 GB), Chicago Cubs (57-80, 18 GB), Colorado Rockies (59-79, 16.5 GB), San Francisco Giants (65-72, 10 GB) and Arizona Diamondbacks (65-71, 9.5 GB).
It’s only a matter of time until these 14 teams are mathematically eliminated. They may leave the 2022 season with moral victories and positives to take into 2023, but they won’t be competing in this year’s Fall Classic. Thanks for playing. We’ll see ya next spring.
That leaves 16 teams still in the hunt.
As far as division races go, a few of them appear to be over. There are three teams that are very close to clinching their division crowns.
On the American League side, the only team that has a division-lead of more than 4.5 games is the Houston Astros (88-49), owners of the best record in the AL, up 11 games on the Seattle Mariners in the American League West.
In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers (94-42) not only have a 19-game lead over the San Diego Padres (76-62) in the National League West, but also have an eight-game lead over the next- closest team in the National League for the no. 1 seed in the postseason.
The St. Louis Cardinals (81-57) are quickly approaching clinching the National League Central with an eight-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers (73-65).
That leaves three divisions still up for grabs.
The New York Yankees (83-55) at one point this season led the American League East by 15.5 games. The Tampa Bay Rays (77-58) are now just 4.5 games back of the Yankees’ lead. The Toronto Blue Jays (76-60, 6 GB) are still in the mix, too.
The Baltimore Orioles (72-65, 10.5 GB) own a better record than every team in the American League Central, but unfortunately seem to be out of the American League East race. They’ll have to go for an AL Wild Card spot, instead.
The AL Central has three teams within 1.5 games of each other. The Cleveland Guardians (70-65) had a five-game lead two weeks ago, but now are holding on to a 1.5-game lead over the Minnesota Twins (69-67) and Chicago White Sox (70-68), who are tied for second.
The Rays (77-58) currently own the top American League Wild Card spot, up 1.5 games on the Mariners (77-60), the AL’s second Wild Card team, who are up 0.5 games on the third and final Wild Card team, the Blue Jays (76-60).
The Orioles (72-65, 4.5 GB) have the most realistic shot of moving into the American League Wild Card Series. There’s a much easier path for the Twins (69-67, 7 GB) and White Sox (70-68, 7 GB) to the postseason by winning the AL Central than there is for them to make the playoffs through the Wild Card.
The only National League division that is still up for grabs is the National League East. Like the other team in New York, the Mets once held a sizable lead (10.5 games to be exact) that has all but evaporated. The Mets (87-51) lead the Atlanta Braves (86-51) by 0.5 games. The Philadelphia Phillies (75-62, 11.5) are out of the division hunt, but currently have an NL Wild Card spot.
Whoever doesn’t win the NL East between the Braves and Mets will at the very least host a home Wild Card Series. The Braves have an 11-game lead over the second Wild Card team, the San Diego Padres (76-62), who are up 0.5 games on the Philadelphia Phillies (75-62).
The National League playoff picture is much less crowded than that of the American League’s. In the NL, there are seven teams vying for six spots.
The final team on the outside looking-in, in the National League, is the Milwaukee Brewers (73-65), 2.5 games back of the Phillies for the final National League Wild Card spot.
As for playoff seeding, all three American League Wild Card spots could easily be shaken up. The race for the second Wild Card spot in the National League is close right now too.
The Dodgers (94-42) have an eight-game lead over the Mets (87-51) for the top seed in the National League, and the Mets have a six-game lead over the Cardinals (81-57) for the second bye in the National League.
The Astros (88-49) are up 5.5 games on the Yankees (83-55) for the American League’s top seed. Whoever wins the American League East, if not the Yankees, will certainly receive a first-round bye from the Wild Card Series, as the Yankees (83-55) are currently 11.5 games better than the AL Central-leading Guardians (70 -65).
For more information on the new Major League Baseball playoff format, see this.
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