MLB Playoff Bracket if the Postseason Started Today

The MLB season is a marathon. Teams compete over a 162-game schedule, needing to rank among the top six squads in their respective leagues to make the playoffs. Wins are just as valuable in April, May, and June as they are in the latter part of the season, and franchises can’t afford to lose ground to the teams ahead of them.

Here’s what the playoff brackets would look like if the postseason started today.

National League

It took six weeks, but the Los Angeles Dodgers finally reached the top of the NL West. LA has won eight of their past ten to move within 2.5 games of the Atlanta Braves for the top spot in the National League. The offense has been the foundation of their success, as Dodgers’ hitters have combined for the fifth-best OPS and fourth-most runs this season. Still, we can’t discount their pitching, which has posted the fourth-best ERA over the last 15 days. The Braves and Dodgers are destined for an arms battle as we race toward the MLB postseason. 

A 1-9 streak hasn’t been enough to move the Pittsburgh Pirates out of the playoff picture. The Bucs are hanging tight to the third seed in the NL, but their grip has loosened as one of the top teams in the league. There’s no reprieve over their coming schedule as nine of their next 11 games come against playoff squads. As it stands, Pittsburgh would face the San Diego Padres in Round 1 of the playoffs. The Padres have been elevated by Fernando Tatis Jr., who is slugging .625 over the past seven days. Combined with Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and the rest of the lineup, the Pirates might not have the firepower to keep pace with the Friars. 

Another surprising squad remains firmly entrenched in the postseason conversation. The Arizona Diamondbacks have moved into the top wild card spot, despite a modest 4-3 record over the past week. The D-Backs have overcome some concerning pitching metrics to hold onto their status as a top squad. Arizona has compiled the sixth-worst ERA and seventh-fewest strikeouts, offsetting those deficiencies with the eighth-most runs and seventh-best OPS. That pits strength against strength, as they could collide with the Milwaukee Brewers in the opening round.

American League

At 21-17, the New York Yankees are the worst team in the AL East. Although that would put them ahead of the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central and within striking distance of the Texas Rangers in the West, it makes them the only team in their division to be outside the playoffs.

The Tampa Bay Rays remain the pacesetters in MLB. The Rays are 29-9, albeit a less convincing 6-4 over their previous ten. They, and the aforementioned Rangers, remain locked in atop the American League, positioning themselves for a first-round bye as the remaining four teams battle it out in the wild-card round. 

Two teams who have stumbled over their recent schedule could meet in early October. The Twins have dropped three of four and six of ten but still have a cushion in the Central Division. If the playoffs started today, they would face the Toronto Blue Jays, who have just three wins over their last ten. Nevertheless, we can’t discount the Blue Jays’ imposing offense, as they are littered with power bats throughout their lineup. However, they could meet their match with the Twinkies, who feature seven players with at least three dingers. 

Lastly, the other wild card matchup would be a battle of division rivals. The Baltimore Orioles have sustained their hot start to the season, taking two of three against the Rays this week. That puts them 4.5 back of Tampa Bay for first in the AL East and on a collision course with the Boston Red Sox. With fewer divisional contests this season, don’t be surprised if all three wild card teams come from the AL East.