Two teams have locked up spots in the 2026 MLB postseason. The Brewers in the National League and the Rays in the American League secured their playoff berths Friday night. Both now continue their fights to win the NL Central and AL East, respectively.
Any day now, the Dodgers are expected to enter the bracket and lock up the NL West soon after. There are still interesting races across all three American League divisions and the NL East, however. The Braves remain atop the NL East, though the Phillies are chasing them. Both teams are also battling for the top NL wild-card spot. Meanwhile, the Padres and Diamondbacks have both picked up steam lately as they compete for the sixth and final playoff spot in the NL.
The American League’s division races all sit within a narrow margin. In the AL East, the Rays are attempting to keep ahead of the Yankees, who have finally brought Aaron Judge back from injury. In the AL Central, the White Sox have a slight lead over the Guardians. The Astros are working to move ahead of both the Rangers and the Mariners in the AL West. The hunt for the final AL wild-card spot stands as the most confused contest in baseball. The Guardians, sitting just above .500, currently hold that position while the Blue Jays, Rangers and Orioles push just behind them.
The Bracket As It Stands
If the season ended today, the playoffs would look like this:
American League
– Byes: No. 1 Rays, No. 2 White Sox
– Wild Card Series: No. 3 Astros vs. No. 6 Guardians, No. 4 Yankees vs. No. 5 Red Sox
The National League features two teams sitting idle: the No. 1 Brewers and the No. 2 Dodgers. The remaining clubs will compete in a pair of Wild Card matchups, with the No. 3 Braves facing the No. 6 Padres and the No. 4 Cubs taking on the No. 5 Phillies.
The standings come from SportsLine.
The Races Worth Watching
The Braves and the Phillies are the two teams competing for supremacy in the NL East. The Braves currently hold first place in the division. Meanwhile, the Phillies are also in contention for the top wild-card position. That means both clubs have more than just the division title on the line.
The race for the NL Central crown comes down to the Brewers, who are doing all the winning. No one in the source offers any reason to doubt their hold on first place. The NL West is a different matter, with the Dodgers already securing their spot at the top.
The race for the NL wild card has tightened considerably. Both the Padres and Diamondbacks have been playing well, and the last playoff slot is now at stake. The Braves and Phillies have complicated things further because the Phillies are pursuing both their division title and the wild card.
American League Standings
Baseball’s AL East division is the tightest in the game, with the Rays and Yankees barely separated by a handful of games. The Yankees have gained a huge lift with Aaron Judge’s return from injury. In the AL Central, the White Sox sit ahead of the Guardians. Over in the AL West, the Astros are moving ahead of both the Rangers and the Mariners.
Among the league’s current playoff contenders, the wild-card chase stands out as the most chaotic portion. The Guardians, sitting barely above .500, currently occupy the final spot. The Blue Jays, Rangers and Orioles are all within striking distance of one another. A handful of teams could still end up in the postseason, while an equal number might miss entirely.
National League Standings
Between the Braves and the Phillies, the NL East is a contest of two teams alone. The Braves sit atop the division, while the Phillies pursue the first wild-card position. This leaves the Phillies with two paths into October.
The Brewers are chasing the NL Central title, and they are doing everything they can to win it. Meanwhile, the Dodgers hold the NL West, and they are not letting it slip away.
The chase for the National League wild card is closer than the American League’s. Both the Padres and Diamondbacks are playing well, with the last playoff position still undecided.
The Odds On The Board
As of Sept. 13, Caesars odds place the Dodgers at +180, the Brewers at +600, the Yankees at +750, and the Rays at +800. The Braves sit at +1300, the Red Sox at +1400, the Phillies at +1500, the Astros at +1800, and the Cubs at +1800. The White Sox are at +2000, the Guardians at +2500, the Padres at +2500, and the Blue Jays at +2800. The Rangers come in at +5500, the Diamondbacks at +6500, and the Mariners at +10000.
The Twins, Pirates, Orioles and Cardinals are all long shots.
“The chase for the final AL wild-card spot is the most muddled race in baseball.”
The Guardians occupy the last spot in a tightly packed scramble between the Blue Jays, Rangers and Orioles, and they sit barely above .500, which makes them the most interesting part of the entire bracket.
What Comes Next
Soon the playoffs will begin, and the bracket will settle into its final form. The Brewers and Rays are secured. The Dodgers will join them. In the NL East, the Braves and Phillies will battle for supremacy. In the NL wild card race, the Padres and Diamondbacks will clash. And across the AL, the Guardians, Blue Jays, Rangers and Orioles will compete for the last remaining spot.
Baseball’s most confused pennant chase belongs to the American League wild card, and the jumble promises to hold until the final contest is decided.
Key Facts Box
- Brewers and Rays secured playoff berths Friday night
- Dodgers expected to lock up the NL West any day now
- Braves lead the NL East, Phillies chase both division and wild card
- Padres and Diamondbacks jostle for the NL’s sixth spot
- Guardians barely above .500 hold the final AL wild-card spot
- Caesars odds as of Sept. 13
Odds At A Glance
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | +180 |
| Brewers | +600 |
| Yankees | +750 |
| Rays | +800 |
| Braves | +1300 |
| Red Sox | +1400 |
| Phillies | +1500 |
| Astros | +1800 |
| Cubs | +1800 |
| White Sox | +2000 |
| Guardians | +2500 |
| Padres | +2500 |
| Blue Jays | +2800 |
| Rangers | +5500 |
| Diamondbacks | +6500 |
| Mariners | +10000 |