MLB Playoff Picture 2026

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MLB playoff picture for 2026, updated October 30. In the American League the Tampa Bay Rays hold the No. 1 seed at 98-64 and the Chicago White Sox have the last spot at 84-78.

In the National League the Milwaukee Brewers hold the No. 1 seed at 103-59 and the Philadelphia Phillies have the last spot at 88-74.

American LeagueNational LeagueBoth

American League Playoff Picture

In the playoffs (seeds 1-6)
1*Tampa Bay RaysAL East leader98-64
2zCleveland GuardiansAL Central leader85-77
3zHouston AstrosAL West leader81-81
4yNew York YankeesAL East93-68
5yBoston Red SoxAL East87-75
6yChicago White SoxAL Central84-78

American League clinch watch

RaysNo. 1 · 98-64 · +18 gamesMagic numberClinchedGuardiansNo. 2 · 85-77 · +5 gamesMagic numberClinchedAstrosNo. 3 · 81-81 · +1 gameMagic numberClinchedYankeesNo. 4 · 93-68 · +13.5 gamesMagic numberClinchedRed SoxNo. 5 · 87-75 · +7 gamesMagic numberClinchedWhite SoxNo. 6 · 84-78 · +4 gamesMagic numberClinchedRangersNo. 7 · 80-82 · 4 gamesElimination numberEliminatedOriolesNo. 8 · 79-82 · 4.5 gamesElimination numberEliminatedBlue JaysNo. 9 · 79-83 · 5 gamesElimination numberEliminatedTwinsNo. 10 · 77-85 · 7 gamesElimination numberEliminatedTigersNo. 11 · 76-86 · 8 gamesElimination numberEliminatedMarinersNo. 12 · 76-86 · 8 gamesElimination numberEliminatedRoyalsNo. 13 · 69-93 · 15 gamesElimination numberEliminatedAthleticsNo. 14 · 64-98 · 20 gamesElimination numberEliminatedAngelsNo. 15 · 62-100 · 22 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.

Outside the race
–eTexas RangersAL West · 4 GB80-82
–eBaltimore OriolesAL East · 4.5 GB79-82
–eToronto Blue JaysAL East · 5 GB79-83
–e▲Minnesota TwinsAL Central · 7 GB77-85
–e▼Detroit TigersAL Central · 8 GB76-86
–eSeattle MarinersAL West · 8 GB76-86
–eKansas City RoyalsAL Central · 15 GB69-93
–eAthleticsAL West · 20 GB64-98
–eLos Angeles AngelsAL West · 22 GB62-100

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 logoRays98-64Bye to the Division Series
2Cleveland Guardians logoGuardians85-77Bye to the Division Series
Best of three, all games at the higher seed
6Chicago White Sox logoWhite Sox84-78@3Houston Astros logoAstros81-81
5Boston Red Sox logoRed Sox87-75@4New York Yankees logoYankees93-68
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 logoBrewers103-59Bye to the Division Series
2Los Angeles Dodgers logoDodgers100-62Bye to the Division Series
Best of three, all games at the higher seed
6Philadelphia Phillies logoPhillies88-74@3Atlanta Braves logoBraves94-68
5Chicago Cubs logoCubs89-73@4San Diego Padres logoPadres91-71
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

No bubble games in the next week.

Biggest Movers

⚖️ 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 · last result change Sep 27