MLB playoffs 2024 tracker: Standings, clinch scenarios, postseason schedule and more

Yahoo Sports Staff

The MLB postseason is right around the corner. And with less than two weeks left in the regular season, every team with World Series aspirations still has a lot to play for.

Let’s break down the state of the MLB standings and the playoff picture as it looks today.

The Brewers clinched the NL Central title on Wednesday but have not yet clinched their playoff seed. The Chicago Cubs' 5-3 defeat to the Oakland A's secured the division for the Brewers.

Also Wednesday, the Yankees clinched the AL's first postseason spot with their 2-1 victory over the Mariners in extra innings. The Yankees have not yet secured the AL East division title or their postseason seed.

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The Dodgers, Phillies, Orioles and Guardians all have at least a 99% chance of reaching the postseason, according to FanGraphs. The Astros, Royals and Padres are above 90%. The Diamondbacks, Twins and Mets have the postseason in sight but still have a ways to go to get there.

After statistically securing their postseason spots, the Phillies, Dodgers, Guardians, Astros and Yankees are positioned to win their divisions, assuming their current leads hold. The Phillies, Dodgers, Yankees and Guardians are in line to earn byes through the wild-card round.

Once a team clinches its ticket to the postseason, there’s still a lot to play for. Most of the division leads are comfortable, but teams could be battling for playoff positioning until the final weekend of the season.

The Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in each league will go to the division winners with the two best records. Those teams earn a bye through the wild-card round and hosting rights in the division series.

The No. 3 seed will go to the third division winner, and that team will host a three-game wild-card series against the No. 6 seed (which will go to the third wild card). The top wild-card team will earn the No. 4 seed and hosting duties against the No. 5 seed in the wild-card round.

The higher seed also gets home-field advantage in the championship series, once we get that far.

The postseason picture could still change a lot between now and Oct. 1. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports)
The postseason picture could still change a lot between now and Oct. 1. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports) (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports)

Wild card: No. 6 Minnesota Twins vs. No. 3 Houston Astros

ALDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 2 Cleveland Guardians

Wild card: No. 5 Kansas City Royals vs. No. 4 Baltimore Orioles

ALDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 1 New York Yankees

Wild card: No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks vs. No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers

NLDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers

Wild card: No. 5 New York Mets vs. No. 4 San Diego Padres

NLDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 1 Philadelphia Phillies

The hunt for the 2024 postseason is on. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports)
The hunt for the 2024 postseason is on. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports) (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports)

No longer do teams play a Game 163 if they finish the season tied. Instead, tiebreakers are determined by head-to-head records first and, if needed, intradivision records second.

Here are the tiebreakers that could come into play:

  • The Yankees have clinched the tiebreaker against the Guardians.

  • The Guardians have clinched the tiebreaker against the Orioles.

  • The Phillies have clinched the tiebreaker against the Dodgers.

  • The Mets have clinched the tiebreakers against the Padres and Diamondbacks.

  • The Orioles hold the tiebreaker against the Yankees, with three games left to play.

  • The D-backs hold the tiebreaker against the Padres, with three games left to play.

  • The Mets hold the tiebreaker against the Braves, with three games left to play.

Read more: 2024 MLB offseason previews: What's next for the White Sox, Nationals, A's and more?

Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 1

Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 2

Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 3*

ALDS

Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5

Game 2: Monday, Oct. 7

Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 9

Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 10*

Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 12*

NLDS

Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5

Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 6

Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 8

Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 9*

Game 5: Friday, Oct. 11*

(*if necessary)

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