MLB playoff picture: AL and NL wild card standings, postseason bracket
MLB playoff picture: AL and NL wild card standings, postseason bracket
Jesse Yomtov, Bob Nightengale and Gabe Lacques, USA TODAYTue, September 15, 2026 at 4:27 AM UTC
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The 2026 regular season is into its final two weeks, with half of Major League Baseball's divisions still up for grabs.
In the AL East, the New York Yankees have closed the gap on the first-place Tampa Bay Rays and begin a climactic series beginning Tuesday, September 22. The Chicago White Sox are trying to hold off the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central and the Houston Astros barely lead the Texas Rangers with both teams hovering around .500.
The AL wild card's final spot has four teams within three games, the Guardians ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays, Rangers and Baltimore Orioles entering play Tuesday. The red-hot San Diego Padres have opened up some distance for the third NL wild card spot over the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the two teams end the season facing each other at Petco Park.
The regular season ends on Sunday, Sept. 27, with the postseason beginning on Sept. 29.
Here's the latest postseason bracket and standings:
Standings after Wednesday, Sept. 16 games
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MLB playoff bracket
#-division champion; *clinched at least a wild card spot
American League
Byes: Tampa Bay Rays* (1), Cleveland Guardians (2)
Wild card series:
White Sox (6) at Astros (3) – Winner vs. White Sox
Red Sox (5) at Yankees* (4) – Winner vs. Rays
National League
Byes:Milwaukee Brewers# (1), Los Angeles Dodgers* (2)
Wild card series:
Padres (6) at Braves (3) – Winner vs. Dodgers
Phillies (5) at Cubs (4) – Winner vs. Brewers
AL wild card standings
Top three teams qualify
*New York Yankees (88-64) +11 games
Boston Red Sox (82-70) +5 games
Chicago White Sox (77-75)
Texas Rangers (76-76) – 1 GB
Toronto Blue Jays (76-77) – 1.5 GB
Baltimore Orioles (75-78) – 2.5 GB
Detroit Tigers (72-80) – 5 GB
Minnesota Twins (71-81) – 6 GB
Seattle Mariners (71-82) – 6.5 GB
NL wild card standings
Top three teams qualify
Chicago Cubs (85-68) +1.5 games
Philadelphia Phillies (84-68) +1 game
San Diego Padres (83-69)
Arizona Diamondbacks (80-73) – 3.5 GB
Miami Marlins (76-77) – 7.5 GB
Pittsburgh Pirates (75-77) – 8 GB
St. Louis Cardinals (75-78) – 8.5 GB
AL East -
*Tampa Bay Rays (92-59)
*New York Yankees (88-64) – 4.5 GB
Boston Red Sox (82-70) – 10.5 GB
AL Central -
Cleveland Guardians (78-75)
Chicago White Sox (77-75) – 0.5 GB
Detroit Tigers (72-80) – 5.5 GB
Minnesota Twins (71-81) – 6.5 GB
AL West -
Houston Astros (76-76)
Texas Rangers (76-76)
Seattle Mariners (71-82) – 5.5 GB
NL East -
Atlanta Braves (89-64)
Philadelphia Phillies (84-68) – 4.5 GB
NL Central -
Milwaukee Brewers (95-57) − winners of NL Central
NL West -
*Los Angeles Dodgers (92-60)
San Diego Padres (83-69) – 9 GB
Arizona Diamondbacks (80-73) – 12.5 GB
*clinched at least a wild card spot
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoff picture: AL and NL wild card standings, postseason bracket
Source: “AOL Sports”
