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.
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National League
| No. 1 – Atlanta Braves | First-Round Bye |
| No. 2 – Los Angeles Dodgers | First-Round Bye |
| No. 3 – Milwaukee Brewers | No. 6 – Chicago Cubs/Cincinnati Reds/Miami Marlins |
| No. 4 – Philadelphia Phillies | No. 5 – San Francisco Giants |
We are halfway through August, and the National League playoff positions still need to be determined. Out of nowhere, the Los Angeles Dodgers have banged out ten wins in a row to move within 4.5 games of the Atlanta Braves for the first seed in the league and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Granted, only three wins came against teams currently in a playoff spot, but there’s something to be said about winning games you’re supposed to and getting hot at the right time.
The wild card race is where things get even hairier. The Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Miami Marlins are tied for the final postseason berth. The Reds would take on the Fish in a tiebreaker game, with the winner heading to Wrigley Field for a second tiebreaker against the Cubbies. Thankfully, Miami and Cincinnati have starting pitching to run a potential two-game gauntlet, but they would be at an immediate disadvantage for the start of the NLDS. The Milwaukee Brewers are clinging to the NL Central lead, setting up an opening-round grudge match against the sixth-seeded squad.
Finally, the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants hold steady as the four and five seeds, respectively. The Phillies are 12.5 games back of the Braves and appear relegated to defending their NL title from the back of the pack. They would invite San Francisco to town for a classic showdown between two storied franchises. Losers of eight of their last 11, the Giants would face an uphill battle if the postseason started today. But with two other teams within 6.0 games of the Giants, there are no guarantees that a playoff spot remains theirs.
American League
| No. 1 – Baltimore Orioles | First-Round Bye |
| No. 2 – Texas Rangers | First-Round Bye |
| No. 3 – Minnesota Twins | No. 6 – Toronto Blue Jays |
| No. 4 – Tampa Bay Rays | No. 5 – Houston Astros |
Another week, another frozen standings board in the American League. These squads have been tidally locked to their respective postseason positions for the past month. The Baltimore Orioles remain perched atop the rest, albeit with a more tenuous grip on the top spot. The O’s have dropped two straight and four of their previous eight, leaving the door open for teams behind them in the standings. Conversely, the Texas Rangers have gone on a 7-3 run to move within 2.0 games of the Orioles for the coveted first seed.
Both squads must be careful, though, as the Tampa Bay Rays appear intent on re-capturing their former spot. Tampa spent the first half of the season controlling their own destiny. However, an icy stretch in June and July and injuries forced the Rays down the standings. Winners of four of their last six, the Rays are trying to shake free from a potential wild card showdown with the defending World Series Champion Houston Astros. Of course, the Astros haven’t given up on their division title ambitions, needing to make up just 2.5 games over the season’s final six weeks.
The Toronto Blue Jays are doing just enough to fend off challengers beneath them in the standings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and company have failed to deliver consistent performances, negatively impacting their playoff chances. They are holding onto a 1.0 game lead over the Seattle Mariners, but their divisional rivals, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are also within striking distance. Whichever team emerges from the pileup gets to take o the Minnesota Twins, who remain the most underwhelming playoff squad.
Buckle up because things are going to get even more hectic.
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