MLB Playoff Picture 2026

MLB playoff picture for 2026, updated September 17. In the American League the Tampa Bay Rays hold the No. 1 seed at 92-59 and the Chicago White Sox have the last spot at 77-75. In the National League the Milwaukee Brewers hold the No. 1 seed at 95-57 and the San Diego Padres have the last spot at 83-69.

American LeagueNational LeagueBoth

American League Playoff Picture

In the playoffs (seeds 1-6)
1xTampa Bay RaysAL East leader92-59vs OAK Thu
2Cleveland GuardiansAL Central leader78-75vs OAK Fri
3Texas RangersAL West leader76-76vs BOS Thu
4xNew York YankeesAL East88-64@ ARI Fri
5Boston Red SoxAL East82-70@ TEX Thu
6Chicago White SoxAL Central77-75vs DET Thu

American League clinch watch

RaysNo. 1 · 92-59 · +16.5 gamesMagic numberClinchedGuardiansNo. 2 · 78-75 · +1.5 gamesMagic number9RangersNo. 3 · 76-76Magic number11YankeesNo. 4 · 88-64 · +12 gamesMagic numberClinchedRed SoxNo. 5 · 82-70 · +6 gamesMagic number5White SoxNo. 6 · 77-75 · +1 gamesMagic number10AstrosNo. 7 · 76-76 · 1 gamesElimination number10Blue JaysNo. 8 · 76-77 · 1.5 gamesElimination number9OriolesNo. 9 · 75-78 · 2.5 gamesElimination number8TigersNo. 10 · 72-80 · 5 gamesElimination number6TwinsNo. 11 · 71-81 · 6 gamesElimination number5MarinersNo. 12 · 71-82 · 6.5 gamesElimination number4RoyalsNo. 13 · 67-85 · 10 gamesElimination number1AthleticsNo. 14 · 61-91 · 16 gamesElimination numberEliminatedAngelsNo. 15 · 58-94 · 19 gamesElimination numberEliminated

Magic number = any combination of this team’s wins and the first team out’s losses that locks up the spot. Elimination number = losses this team can still afford before it is out. Shown once a number is 30 or under.

In the hunt
–Houston AstrosAL West · 1 GB76-76vs KC Thu
–Toronto Blue JaysAL East · 1.5 GB76-77@ TEX Fri
–Baltimore OriolesAL East · 2.5 GB75-78vs MIL Fri
Outside the race
–Detroit TigersAL Central · 5 GB72-80@ CWS Thu
–Minnesota TwinsAL Central · 6 GB71-81@ LAA Thu
–Seattle MarinersAL West · 6.5 GB71-82@ COL Fri
–Kansas City RoyalsAL Central · 10 GB67-85@ HOU Thu
–eAthleticsAL West · 16 GB61-91@ TB Thu
–eLos Angeles AngelsAL West · 19 GB58-94vs MIN Thu

Seeds 1-3 division winners (top two get a bye), 4-6 wild cards. Dashed line = playoff cutoff. GB = games behind the No. 6 seed. Tags: x clinched playoff, y clinched wild card, z clinched division, * clinched best record and home-field, e eliminated (wins-only maths). Arrows = movement since the last games.

If the Playoffs Started Today

American League Wild Card Series

1Tampa Bay Rays logoRays92-59Bye to the Division Series
2Cleveland Guardians logoGuardians78-75Bye to the Division Series
Best of three, all games at the higher seed
6Chicago White Sox logoWhite Sox77-75@3Texas Rangers logoRangers76-76
5Boston Red Sox logoRed Sox82-70@4New York Yankees logoYankees88-64
Division Series: winner of 3 v 6 plays No. 2; winner of 4 v 5 plays No. 1

National League Wild Card Series

1Milwaukee Brewers logoBrewers95-57Bye to the Division Series
2Los Angeles Dodgers logoDodgers92-60Bye to the Division Series
Best of three, all games at the higher seed
6San Diego Padres logoPadres83-69@3Atlanta Braves logoBraves89-64
5Philadelphia Phillies logoPhillies84-68@4Chicago Cubs logoCubs85-68
Division Series: winner of 3 v 6 plays No. 2; winner of 4 v 5 plays No. 1

All Wild Card Series games are at the higher seed. Matchups update automatically after every game.

Games That Matter This Week

San Diego Padres logoPadres83-69 · National League No. 6@Thu, Sep 173:10 PM EDTColorado Rockies logoRockies56-96 · National League No. 15
Philadelphia Phillies logoPhillies84-68 · National League No. 5@Thu, Sep 177:15 PM EDTNew York Mets logoMets69-83 · National League No. 13
Kansas City Royals logoRoyals67-85 · American League No. 13@Thu, Sep 177:15 PM EDTHouston Astros logoAstros76-76 · American League No. 7
Detroit Tigers logoTigers72-80 · American League No. 10@Thu, Sep 177:40 PM EDTChicago White Sox logoWhite Sox77-75 · American League No. 6
Boston Red Sox logoRed Sox82-70 · American League No. 5@Thu, Sep 178:05 PM EDTTexas Rangers logoRangers76-76 · American League No. 3
Chicago Cubs logoCubs85-68 · National League No. 4@Fri, Sep 186:40 PM EDTCincinnati Reds logoReds71-81 · National League No. 11
Milwaukee Brewers logoBrewers95-57 · National League No. 1@Fri, Sep 187:05 PM EDTBaltimore Orioles logoOrioles75-78 · American League No. 9
Toronto Blue Jays logoBlue Jays76-77 · American League No. 8@Fri, Sep 188:05 PM EDTTexas Rangers logoRangers76-76 · American League No. 3
New York Yankees logoYankees88-64 · American League No. 4@Fri, Sep 189:40 PM EDTArizona Diamondbacks logoDiamondbacks80-73 · National League No. 7

Upcoming games involving teams within reach of the cutoff (seeds 4-6 and the next four in the hunt).

Biggest Movers

MLB Biggest Movers

League seed change since the last games

Moving up

Miami MarlinsNational League · 76-779→8▲ 1

Moving down

Pittsburgh PiratesNational League · 75-778→9▼ 1

⚖️ How MLB tiebreakers work →

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Playoff picture FAQ

How many teams make the MLB playoffs?

12, six per league: the three division winners seeded 1 to 3 by record, then the three best remaining records as wild cards 4 to 6.

Who gets a bye in the MLB playoffs?

The top two seeds in each league skip the Wild Card Series and wait for the Division Series. The No. 3 seed is a division winner but must play the Wild Card round.

How does the Wild Card Series work?

Best of three with every game at the higher seed: No. 3 hosts No. 6 and No. 4 hosts No. 5. The 4 v 5 winner meets the No. 1 seed; the 3 v 6 winner meets the No. 2 seed.

What does "in the hunt" mean?

Teams outside the current six but within about two and a half games of the last wild card spot.

What do the x, y, z and * tags mean?

x clinched a playoff berth, y clinched a wild card, z clinched the division, * clinched the best record in the league and home-field advantage. An e means the team is eliminated.

When is the playoff picture final?

After the last regular-season game at the end of September. There are no tiebreaker games; ties are settled by head-to-head and division records.

Updated