MLB Playoff Magic and Tragic Numbers for All Teams With 6 Days Left

Kansas City Royals

Elimination Tragic Number: 1

It's most likely too little too late for the 78-78 Kansas City Royals. One more loss and it's all she wrote. KC needs to win out and get some help to finish in a complicated half-baked three-way tie with the Houston Astros and Cleveland Guardians. Stick a fork in these Kansas City-style ribs, because they are done.

Los Angeles Dodgers

NL West Magic Number: 3

The defending World Series champions have guaranteed themselves a playoff spot, as the Los Angeles Dodgers will look to run it back once again. While in the driver's seat in the NL West, the San Diego Padres are still hanging around. LA goes into the final week with a 2.5-game lead over San Diego in the division and also owns the tiebreaker with the Friars. This means that any combination of Dodgers wins and Padres losses totaling three equals yet another NL West crown for the white and blue.

Chicago Cubs

Home Wild Card Team Magic Number: 4

At 88-68 on the year, the Chicago Cubs have already clinched themselves a playoff spot. While they have no shot at the division with the Milwaukee Brewers already taking the NL Central title, they are in excellent shape to be the top wild-card team and host their opening-round series. The Cubbies are 2.5 games up on the San Diego Padres and eight clear of the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets. Four wins would guarantee that first-round home-field advantage or any combination of Cubs wins and Padres losses equaling four. 

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San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres punched their playoff ticket with a 5-4 extra-innings win over the Milwaukee Brewers last night. They still have a shot at the division and to host in the first round. San Diego sits 2.5 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, but does not hold the tiebreaker. The Friars are also 2.5 games behind the Chicago Cubs for the top wild-card spot, and depending on who ends up with the better division record, they could still gain that tiebreaker with Chicago.    

Cincinnati Reds

Playoff Spot Magic Number: 6

Once thought to be dead and buried, the Cincinnati Reds are very much alive in the NL wild card race. Cincinnati has clawed its way all the way back and currently holds the final berth over the New York Mets. Since the Reds won the regular season series with New York, they hold the edge as both teams sit at 80-76. With six games left, Cincy can do itself a favor and win out. That way, New York has no say in the matter. Otherwise, any combination of Reds wins and Mets losses that come out to six means Cincinnati moves on to the postseason, and the once mighty Mets head home early.

New York Mets

Elimination Tragic Number: 6

How did the New York Mets get here? Once rolling atop the NL East this summer, a terrible second half has them on the outside looking in. It also leaves them without control of their own destiny, as the Cincinnati Reds hold the tiebreaker, and if they win out, the Mets lose out on a playoff spot. New York has to avoid their losses and Cincinnati's victories totaling six this week. There's a way to make it real tough on the Reds, and the way to do it, quoting Charlie Sheen, is "WINNING!" 

Arizona Diamondbacks

Elimination Tragic Number: 5

Another team thought to have no shot at the playoffs a month and a half ago was these Arizona Diamondbacks. Hell, they didn't even believe they had a shot with a massive fire sale at the trade deadline. Well, here we are seven weeks later, and the D-backs sit just one game back of the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets for the final NL wild card spot. 'Zona split its season series with the Mets, but Cincy has the tiebreaker over the D-backs. What it all means is five losses or any combo of Arizona losses and wins by Cincinnati puts the Snakes down for good in 2025.

San Francisco Giants

Elimination Tragic Number: 2

The San Francisco Giants all but sealed their fate after losing to the St. Louis Cardinals last night. With the 6-5 setback, San Fran falls 3.5 games back of the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds for the final wild card berth in the National League. Both teams hold tiebreakers over the Giants, so now two more losses mean curtains for San Francisco.

St. Louis Cardinals

Elimination Tragic Number: 1

The St. Louis Cardinals have the lowest playoff probability on our list. Despite a big win over the San Francisco Giants last night, the Cards sit 3.5 games back of the final wild card spot and are on the wrong end of a bunch of tiebreakers. This bird has flown the coop.

Toronto Blue Jays

1st Round Bye Magic Number: 1

AL East Magic Number: 4

The Toronto Blue Jays clinched their playoff spot this weekend and are in the driver's seat both in the division and to finish as the top seed in the American League. Toronto owns the tiebreakers against both the New York Yankees (2.0 games back in AL East) and Boston Red Sox (5.0 games back in AL East). The Jays also hold the tiebreaker with the Detroit Tigers and with one more Toronto win, the best Detroit can do is tie their AL rivals to the north. A tie goes to the runner in baseball, and in this case Toronto is the runner.

Seattle Mariners

1st Round Bye Magic Number: 4

AL West Magic Number: 3

Playoff Spot Magic Number: 2

The Seattle Mariners have really stepped into controlling their own fate. Winners of four straight and nine of their past 10, including a road sweep of the Houston Astros has virtually earned them a postseason berth. With the lowly Colorado Rockies coming to town, all the M's have to do is take two of three to punch their playoff ticket. A sweep gets them the division and they are still very much alive for a first round bye, with a two-game lead over the Detroit Tigers. 

Detroit Tigers

AL Central Magic Number: 6

Playoff Spot Magic Number: 5

Who would have thought the Detroit Tigers would be fighting for their division and even playoff lives even a few weeks ago? A second half Tigers collapse culiminated in a Cleveland Guardians sweep over Detroit last week. Now the red-hot Guardians are just a game back of Detroit with the regular season series tiebreaker (currently 6-4 Cleveland) still to be decided. You see, these teams has a final series this week, which will likely decide the AL Central champ. How can you not love playoff race baseball!

Detroit's saving grace may come down to the wild card where they do hold the tiebreaker over the Houston Astros, who are currently on the outside looking in, on the wrong side of a tiebreaker with Cleveland.

New York Yankees

Playoff Spot Magic Number: 3

Sitting in the top wild card spot, the New York Yankees are in good shape to return to the postseason. The Bronx Bombers even still have a shot at the AL East crown, coming into this week, 2.0 games back of the AL-leading Toronto Blue Jays. New York will be doing some Houston Astros and Cleveland Guardians scoreboard watching this week, after they split series with both of them, meaning a tiebreaker would come down to the best division record. If the Yanks can sweep the visiting, lowly Chicago White Sox in their series starting tonight, it's all for naught, as New York controls its own destiny.

Boston Red Sox

Playoff Spot Magic Number: 5

While their AL East division winner dreams may be far-fetched, the Boston Red Sox do start a three-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays tonight. Boston comes into the series with the division leader, five games back, and would need a sweep to have a chance at winning the East. Their route to a playoff spot is more likely, currently holding onto the second wild card berth with a game on both the Houston Astros and Cleveland Guardians. Boston also holds the tiebreaker over the 'Stros and Cleveland.

The Texas Rangers have a very outside shot of catching the Sox, which we will get into in our next slide.

Cleveland Guardians

Playoff Spot Magic Number: 6

The Cleveland Guardians have been one of the hottest teams in baseball the past few weeks. Coming into the final week, winners of nine of its past 10, Cleveland has grabbed postseason position and a real shot at the division crown. With a tiebreaker over the Houston Astros, Cleveland can win out and lock down a playoff spot. At the same time, any combo of Guardians victories and 'Stros defeats means the kings of the Cuyahoga are playing October baseball. They also start a three-game set with the Detroit Tigers tonight, sitting just one game back in the AL Central. This series could very well decide the division and the AL's final postseason berths.

Houston Astros

Elimination Tragic Number: 6

The Houston Astros come into the final week of the season licking their wounds after getting humbled by a home sweep at the hands of the worst team they could have been swept by, the Seattle Mariners. Not only is the division lead now gone, the AL West is almost out of reach, with the M's holding a three-game lead. To make matters worse, Houston now finds itself on the outside looking in for a playoff spot. They are tied with the Cleveland Guardians at 84-72, but Cleveland holds the tiebreaker. Houston, we have a problem.

Texas Rangers

Elimination Tragic Number: 2

The Texas Rangers would need a Texas-sized miracle to sneak into the playoffs. Texas sits six games back of the Boston Red Sox and five games behind the Cleveland Guardians and Houston Astros. The Rangers do hold the tiebreaker over Boston, but would need to win out and the Sox to lose out to catch them. Houston holds the tiebreaker over Texas, and the Rangers and Guardians' tiebreaker is still to be decided. Basically, two losses and the Rangers are Texas toast. If Cleveland or Houston comes up with two wins this week, the Rangers are done, along with any combination of Texas losses and Guardians or Astros wins that equals two. 

Kansas City Royals

Elimination Tragic Number: 1

It's most likely too little too late for the 78-78 Kansas City Royals. One more loss and it's all she wrote. KC needs to win out and get some help to finish in a complicated half-baked three-way tie with the Houston Astros and Cleveland Guardians. Stick a fork in these Kansas City-style ribs, because they are done.